Petroliam Nasional Berhad (petronas)

Petroliam Nasional Berhard (petronas)

Markus Fanselow

John Holbrey

Kenneth Richard Seddon

Anna Zheng

Kris Anderson

Laurent Vanoye

Lauret Vanoye

A process is described for the preparation of water-soluble cellulose hydrolysis products The process comprises admixing cellulose with an ionic liquid capable of solvating or dissolving at least some of the cellulose, said ionic liquid being a compound comprised solely of cations and anions and which exists in a liquid state at a temperature at or below 150&#xb0; C., and in which the anions are selected from sulfate, hydrogen sulfate and nitrate; and treating the resulting solvate or solution with an acid in the presence of water, said acid having a pKa in water of less than 2 at 25&#xb0; C.

Conversion method

A process is described for the preparation of water-soluble cellulose hydrolysis products, which comprises admixing cellulose with an ionic liquid capable of solvating or dissolving at least some of the cellulose, said ionic liquid being a compound comprised solely of cations and anions and which exists in a liquid state at a temperature at or below 150&#xb0; C., the cations in said ionic liquid having the general formula (I), in which Z represents a nitrogen or phosphorus atom, Rrepresents a methyl or ethyl group, each of Rand R, which may be the same or different, is selected from Calkyl, optionally-substituted benzyl, optionally-substituted phenyl, and Ccycloalkyl, and Rrepresents Calkyl, optionally-substituted benzyl, optionally-substituted phenyl or Ccyclohexyl; in which the optional substituents on a benzyl or phenyl ring are one, two or three substituents selected from Calkyl or alkoxy groups, halogen atoms and nitro groups; and treating the resulting solvate or solution with an acid in the presence of water, said acid having a pKa in water of less than 2 at 25&#xb0; C.

A method for breaking an emulsion of an ionic liquid which is a salt that is in the liquid state at a temperature below 1500 C, and an oil, comprising the steps of (a) irradiating the emulsion with microwave radiation; (b) separating the emulsion into an ionic liquid phase and an oil phase; and (c) recovering at least one of the phases.

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Belfast, United Kingdom

Markus Fanselow