Purac Biochem Bv

Sulzer Chemtech Ag

Jan Van Breugel

Peter Paul Jansen

André Banier De Haan

Paulus Loduvicus Johannes Van Der Weide

Jan Van Krieken

Jose Maria Vidal Lancis

Willem Jacob Groot

Agustín Cerdà Baró

José Maria Vidal Lancis

Margarita Camprubi Vila

Hendrik Martinus Winkelaar

José María Vidal Lancis

Geert-Jan Witkamp

Tanja Dekic Zivkovic

Agustin Cerdà Baró

Aldwin Korevaar

Markus Gerkema

Damien Michel Andre Camelot

Diana Visser

Siebe Cornelis De Vos

Adriaan Dirk Kon

Robert Edgar Haan

Peter Willi Kreis

Gerrit Leendert Nanninga

Jos&eacute; Maria Vidal Lancis

Agusti Cerda Bar&oacute;

Sarah Borer

Augustín Cerdà Baró

Agusti Cerd&agrave; Baro

Sarah Lanfranchi

Johannes Martinus De Bruijn

Gerard Hendrik Van Bochove

Paul A'Campo

Margarita Camprubi Vilá

Agusti Cerd&agrave;Baro

Tanja ÐEkic Zivkovic

The invention pertains to a method for providing a succinic acid solution, comprising the steps of &#x2014;providing a first magnesium succinate containing medium with a magnesium succinate concentration of 18-23 wt. % to a first acidification reactor where it is contacted with hydrogen chloride to form a solution of succinic acid, magnesium chloride and hydrogen chloride, &#x2014;providing a second magnesium succinate containing medium with a magnesium succinate concentration of 25-50 wt. %, and contacting it in a second acidification reactor with the solution of succinic acid, magnesium chloride and hydrogen chloride withdrawn from the first acidification reactor, to form an aqueous mixture comprising magnesium chloride and succinic acid with a succinic acid concentration of at least 18 wt. %. The method according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a solution comprising succinic acid and magnesium 20 chloride with an increased succinic acid concentration.

Method for providing a succinic acid solution

The invention pertains to a process for preparing methyl lactate including the steps of: bringing an aqueous liquid comprising lactic acid, methanol, and at least 5 wt. % of a dissolved chloride salt selected from magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and zinc chloride to reaction conditions, thereby obtaining methyl lactate, wherein an extractant is provided to the reaction mixture before, during, and/or after formation of methyl lactate; subjecting the reaction mixture to a liquid-liquid separation step wherein an organic phase comprising methyl lactate and extractant is separated from an aqueous phase comprising dissolved chloride salt. The extractant preferably includes one or more compounds selected from C5+ ketones and C3-C10 ethers, in particular C5-C8 ketones, more in particular methyl isobutyl ketone. It has been found that the process according to the invention makes it possible to manufacture methyl lactate efficiently and in high yield.

Method for preparing methyl lactate

The invention provides a method for preparing a carboxylic acid, which method includes the steps of providing magnesium carboxylate, wherein the carboxylic acid corresponding with the carboxylate has a solubility in water at 20&#xb0; C. of 80 g/100 g water or less; acidifying the magnesium carboxylate with HCl, thereby obtaining a solution comprising carboxylic acid and magnesium chloride (MgCl); optionally a concentration step, wherein the solution comprising carboxylic acid and MgClis concentrated; precipitating the carboxylic acid from the solution comprising the carboxylic acid and MgCl, thereby obtaining a carboxylic acid precipitate and a MgClsolution.

Acid/salt separation

The invention pertains to a method for preparing succinic acid which comprises providing an aqueous magnesium succinate solution to an acidification step, wherein the magnesium succinate solution is acidified by the addition of hydrogen chloride, thereby obtaining an aqueous solution comprising succinic acid and magnesium chloride and subjecting the aqueous solution comprising succinic acid and magnesium chloride derived from the acidification step to a treatment step with active carbon followed by precipitating succinic acid from an aqueous mixture comprising succinic acid and magnesium chloride resulting from the active carbon treatment step in a precipitation step to form solid succinic acid. It has been found that the method according to the invention leads to succinic acid crystals with better properties than a comparable method wherein no active carbon treatment is used.

Method for manufacturing succinic acid

A process for the preparation of butanediol includes providing an aqueous medium comprising magnesium succinate by fermentation of a carbohydrate source, in the presence of a magnesium base. The aqueous medium is processed wherein the magnesium succinate is treated with a monovalent base, prior to or after a crystallization step, to provide a magnesium base and an aqueous solution comprising a monovalent succinate salt. The concentration of the monovalent succinate salt is adusted to between 10 and 35 wt. %. The aqueous solution is subjected to water-splitting electrodialysis, to produce a first solution comprising monovalent base and a second solution comprising succinic acid and monovalent succinate salt, the electrodialysis causing conversion the monovalent succinate salt into succinic acid of 40 to 95 mole % calculated on a total molar amount of succinic acid and succinate present in solution. The second solution is separated into succinic acid and the monovalent succinate salt by crystallization. The monovalent scuccinate salt solution of step e) is recycled to step d) and the succinic acid is hydrogenated to form butanediol.

Process for manufacturing butanediol

Continuous process of forming aliphatic polyesters The process includes continuously providing cyclic ester monomer and polymerization catalyst to a continuous mixing loop reactor (CMLR) having static mixing elements and operated at a temperature between 100 and 240&#xb0; C. to form a pre-polymerized reaction mixture. The conversion is between 40 and less than 90 wt. %, wherein the cyclic ester monomer comprises lactide having a free acid content lower than 50 milli-equivalents per kg. The pre-polymerized reaction mixture is continuously provided to a plug flow reactor that is a static mixer reactor having static mixing elements and is operated at a temperature between 110-240&#xb0; C., wherein the reaction mixture is polymerized to a conversion of at least 90%, to form polymer wherein the flow ratio of the CMLR and the plug flow reactor is between 1.5 an d50. The process includes continuously removing polymer from the plug flow reactor devolitizing the polymer.

Process for the continuous production of polyesters

The invention provides a method for preparing a succinic acid, which method includes the steps of: providing magnesium succinate; acidifying the magnesium succinate with hydrochloric acid (HCl), thereby obtaining a solution including succinic acid and magnesium chloride (MgCl); optionally a concentration step, wherein the solution including succinic acid and MgClis concentrated; precipitating succinic acid from the solution including succinic acid and MgCl, thereby obtaining a succinic acid precipitate and a MgClsolution. The addition of HCl to a magnesium salt of succinic acid and subsequent precipitation of succinic acid from the solution leads to a very efficient separation of succinic acid from a magnesium succinate solution.

The invention pertains to a process for preparing a succinic acid ester comprising the steps of bringing an aqueous liquid comprising succinic acid, alcohol, and at least 5 wt. % of a dissolved chloride salt selected from magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and zinc chloride, calculated on the weight of the liquid, to reaction conditions, thereby obtaining a succinic acid ester, and recovering the succinic acid ester and an aqueous solution comprising the dissolved chloride salt. It has been found that the process according to the invention shows a high yield and has a high reaction rate. Additionally, it has been found that the process makes it possible to carry out the separation of the succinic acid ester from the aqueous reaction medium in high yield.

Method for manufacturing succinic acid esters

A fermentation process includes contacting a carbohydrate source with a microorganism in an aqueous fermentation broth to form a fermentation product which is a salt or a product with a boiling point above the boiling point of water. The fermentation process is carried out at a pressure which is below atmospheric pressure and at least at the value where the reaction medium is at its boiling point at the fermentation temperature. Water is evaporated and removed from the reactor during the fermentation in an amount which is at least 20% of the volume of liquid present in the reactor at the start of the fermentation. A fermentation process at reduced pressure while removing a substantial amount of water removes a surplus of water in the system, ensures removal of reaction heat, and may lead to improved fermentation quality.

Fermentation process at reduced pressure

A process for the preparation of succinic acid comprising the steps of:

Process for manufacturing succinic acid

A method for preparing a carboxylic acid by acidification of a liquid feed including a carboxylate salt, which method includes the steps of providing a liquid feed including magnesium carboxylate; providing a gas feed including gaseous hydrogen chloride; and acidifying the carboxylate to carboxylic acid by bringing the liquid feed into contact with the gas feed, thereby forming a liquid effluent including carboxylic acid and magnesium chloride, wherein the gas feed including gaseous hydrogen chloride is derived from a thermal decomposition step wherein an aqueous liquid including magnesium chloride is subjected to a temperature of at least 300&#xb0; C., thereby decomposing magnesium chloride into magnesium oxide and hydrogen chloride, thus obtaining a solid including magnesium oxide and a gas comprising gaseous hydrogen chloride.

Carboxylate acidification

A method for preparing a carboxylic acid, includes the steps of: providing magnesium carboxylate, wherein the carboxylic acid corresponding with the carboxylate is selected from the group made of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, itaconic acid, citric acid, glutaric acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid and fatty acids having more than 10 carbon atoms; acidifying the magnesium carboxylate with hydrogen chloride (HCl), thereby obtaining a solution including carboxylic acid and magnesium chloride (MgCl); optionally a concentration step, wherein the solution including carboxylic acid and MgClis concentrated; and precipitating the carboxylic acid from the solution including the carboxylic acid and MgCl, thereby obtaining a carboxylic acid precipitate and a MgClsolution.

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Woudrichem, Netherlands

Jan Van Breugel