Archer Daniels Midland Company

Robert Duane Sandage

Ahmad K Hilaly

John Glenn Soper

Thomas P Binder

Doug Geier

John G Soper

Ahmad Hilaly

The present invention provides methods of separating at butanediol compound from a mixture containing polyhydric alcohols and butanediol compounds. The mixture of polyhydric alcohols typically contains propylene glycol and ethylene glycol in addition to the butanediol contaminants. Butanediol contaminants are removed by contacting the mixture with a chromatographic matrix. Either the butanediol compounds or the non-butanediol compounds adsorb to the chromatographic matrix. If desired, the adsorbed compounds may be eluted from the matrix, purified and used in products.

Separation of a mixture of polyhydric alcohols

The present invention is directed to a method of preparing compositions enriched in compounds containing carbon chains of varying degrees of unsaturation using argentation chromatography. The present method utilizes an argentized cationic resin or a conditioned argentized alumina to separate compounds containing saturated or mono-unsaturated carbon chains from compounds having polyunsaturated carbon chains present in a starting composition. The invention is particularly useful for preparing a composition enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acid alkyl esters from mixtures of fatty acid esters in a starting composition derived from vegetable oils. The present invention is also directed to a method of preparing a conditioned argentized alumina adsorbent having increased selectivity for compounds containing one or more polyunsaturated carbon chains.

Method of preparing a composition using argentation chromatography

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Decatur, IL, United States of America

Robert Duane Sandage