192
Water for Energy and Fuel Production
4. Transportation Industry
A number of products such as CMA (calcium magnesium acetate), carbon,
sodium, succinic acid, DALA, and levulinate can also be used in the
transportation industries.
5. Chemical Industry
Both coproducts and upgraded products have significant values as general
chemical solvents. These include coproducts such as formic acid and furfural, as well as upgraded and byproducts such as N-methylpyrrolidinone
(NMP), pyridine, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), pentanediol, THF, succinic
acid, and ethyl formate.
Various end products formed from the conversion of LA, formic acid, and ligneous
char are graphically illustrated in Figure 7.5 [12]. In Sections 7.3.1 through 7.3.5, we
briefly examine some of the upgrading strategies for the products (LA, formic acid,
furfural, GVL, and char) of the Biofine hydrolysis process. These strategies closely
follow the excellent article by Hayes et al. [8] and others [12,23–42].
7.3.1 TrAnSFormATion oF levuliniC ACid
As shown in Figure 7.6 [12], the Department of Energy has identified LA as one of
the 12 important platform chemicals produced from biomass. LA can be transformed
into a number of important industrial chemicals, fuel additives, or platform chemicals
for fuels. For example, the reaction of LA with two molecules of phenol produces
DPA [27], a material that can be substituted for bisphenol A (BPA) in polycarbonates,
epoxy resins, polyarylates, and other polymers. The use of DPA can also reduce the
cost of lubricants, adhesives, and paints [10]. The succinic acid obtained from the oxidation of LA is very useful for food additives, soldering fluxes, and pharmaceutical
products. Succinic acid can also be used to produce THF, 1,4-butanediol, and GBL.
Both THF and GBL are also very important intermediate chemicals [8]. THF, a cyclic
ether, is useful for the production of polytetramethylene ether glycol, a component of
polyurethane stretch fibers, and it is also used as a reaction solvent for the poly(vinyl
chloride) (PVC) cements, pharmaceuticals, and coatings. GBL is used for the production of pyrrolidone solvents, pesticides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators [8].
Another important product from LA is DALA, which is an active ingredient in a
broad spectrum of herbicides. It is also used as an insecticide and for cancer treatment [44]. The most efficient way of making DALA from LA is [8,10]
OHC
N − Na +
O
O
OHC
Br 2 , MeOH
OHC
NH 2
COOH
COOH
COOMe
N
OHC
Br
O
O
COOH + HCOOH
DALA
Water for Energy and Fuel Production
4. Transportation Industry
A number of products such as CMA (calcium magnesium acetate), carbon,
sodium, succinic acid, DALA, and levulinate can also be used in the
transportation industries.
5. Chemical Industry
Both coproducts and upgraded products have significant values as general
chemical solvents. These include coproducts such as formic acid and furfural, as well as upgraded and byproducts such as N-methylpyrrolidinone
(NMP), pyridine, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), pentanediol, THF, succinic
acid, and ethyl formate.
Various end products formed from the conversion of LA, formic acid, and ligneous
char are graphically illustrated in Figure 7.5 [12]. In Sections 7.3.1 through 7.3.5, we
briefly examine some of the upgrading strategies for the products (LA, formic acid,
furfural, GVL, and char) of the Biofine hydrolysis process. These strategies closely
follow the excellent article by Hayes et al. [8] and others [12,23–42].
7.3.1 TrAnSFormATion oF levuliniC ACid
As shown in Figure 7.6 [12], the Department of Energy has identified LA as one of
the 12 important platform chemicals produced from biomass. LA can be transformed
into a number of important industrial chemicals, fuel additives, or platform chemicals
for fuels. For example, the reaction of LA with two molecules of phenol produces
DPA [27], a material that can be substituted for bisphenol A (BPA) in polycarbonates,
epoxy resins, polyarylates, and other polymers. The use of DPA can also reduce the
cost of lubricants, adhesives, and paints [10]. The succinic acid obtained from the oxidation of LA is very useful for food additives, soldering fluxes, and pharmaceutical
products. Succinic acid can also be used to produce THF, 1,4-butanediol, and GBL.
Both THF and GBL are also very important intermediate chemicals [8]. THF, a cyclic
ether, is useful for the production of polytetramethylene ether glycol, a component of
polyurethane stretch fibers, and it is also used as a reaction solvent for the poly(vinyl
chloride) (PVC) cements, pharmaceuticals, and coatings. GBL is used for the production of pyrrolidone solvents, pesticides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators [8].
Another important product from LA is DALA, which is an active ingredient in a
broad spectrum of herbicides. It is also used as an insecticide and for cancer treatment [44]. The most efficient way of making DALA from LA is [8,10]
OHC
N − Na +
O
O
OHC
Br 2 , MeOH
OHC
NH 2
COOH
COOH
COOMe
N
OHC
Br
O
O
COOH + HCOOH
DALA