Gevo, Inc.

Joshua D Taylor

Matthew W Peters

David E Henton

Leo E Manzer

Patrick R Gruber

Yassin Al Obaidi

Josefa M Griffith

Thomas Jackson Taylor

The present invention in its various embodiments is directed to methods for preparing a renewable jet fuel blendstock, and blendstocks prepared by such methods, comprising fermenting a biomass-derived feedstock to form one or more C-Calcohols such as isobutanol, catalytically dehydrate and oligomerize the alcohols to form higher molecular weight olefins (e.g., C-Colefins), hydrogenating at least a portion of the higher molecular weight olefins to form a renewable jet fuel blendstock comprising Cand Calkanes which meet or exceed the requirements of ASTM D7566-10a for hydroprocessed synthesized paraffinic kerosene (SPK).

Renewable jet fuel blendstock from isobutanol

The method of the present invention provides a high yield pathway to 2,5-dimethylhexadiene from renewable isobutanol, which enables economic production of renewable p-xylene (and subsequently, terephthalic acid, a key monomer in the production of PET) from isobutanol. In addition, the present invention provides methods for producing 2,5-dimethylhexadiene from a variety of feed stocks that can act as 'equivalents' of isobutylene and/or isobutyraldehyde including isobutanol, isobutylene oxide, and isobutyl ethers and acetals. Catalysts employed in the present methods that produce 2,5-dimethylhexadiene can also catalyze alcohol dehydration, alcohol oxidation, epoxide rearrangement, and ether and acetal cleavage.

Variations on prins-like chemistry to produce 2,5-dimethylhexadiene from isobutanol

The present invention is directed to renewable compositions derived from fermentation of biomass, and integrated methods of preparing such compositions.

Renewable compositions

Isobutene, isoprene, and butadiene are obtained from mixtures of Cand/or Colefins by dehydrogenation. The Cand/or Colefins can be obtained by dehydration of Cand Calcohols, for example, renewable Cand Calcohols prepared from biomass by thermochemical or fermentation processes. Isoprene or butadiene can be polymerized to form polymers such as polyisoprene, polybutadiene, synthetic rubbers such as butyl rubber, etc. in addition, butadiene can be converted to monomers such as methyl methacrylate, adipic acid, adiponitrile, 1,4-butadiene, etc. which can then be polymerized to form nylons, polyesters, polymethylmethacrylate etc.

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Evergreen, CO, United States of America

Joshua D Taylor