Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method and system for converting ethanol to para-xylene. The method also provides a pathway to produce terephthalic acid from biomass-based feedstocks. In some embodiments, the disclosed method produces p-xylene with high selectivity over other aromatics typically produced in the conversion of ethanol to xylenes, such as m-xylene, ethyl benzene, benzene, toluene, and the like. And, in some embodiments, the method facilitates the ability to use ortho/para mixtures of methylbenzyaldehyde for preparing ortho/para xylene product mixtures that are amendable to fractionation to separate the para- and ortho-xylene products thereby providing a pure feedstock of para-xylene that can be used to form terephthalic anhydride and a pure feedstock of ortho-xylene that can be used for other purposes, such as phthalic anhydride.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method and system for converting ethanol to para-xylene. The method also provides a pathway to produce terephthalic acid from biomass-based feedstocks. In some embodiments, the disclosed method produces p-xylene with high selectivity over other aromatics typically produced in the conversion of ethanol to xylenes, such as m-xylene, ethyl benzene, benzene, toluene, and the like. And, in some embodiments, the method facilitates the ability to use ortho/para mixtures of methylbenzyaldehyde for preparing ortho/para xylene product mixtures that are amendable to fractionation to separate the para- and ortho-xylene products thereby providing a pure feedstock of para-xylene that can be used to form terephthalic anhydride and a pure feedstock of ortho-xylene that can be used for other purposes, such as phthalic anhydride.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method and system for converting ethanol to para-xylene. The method also provides a pathway to produce terephthalic acid from biomass-based feedstocks. In some embodiments, the disclosed method produces p-xylene with high selectivity over other aromatics typically produced in the conversion of ethanol to xylenes, such as m-xylene, ethyl benzene, benzene, toluene, and the like. And, in some embodiments, the method facilitates the ability to use ortho/para mixtures of methylbenzyaldehyde for preparing ortho/para xylene product mixtures that are amendable to fractionation to separate the para- and ortho-xylene products thereby providing a pure feedstock of para-xylene that can be used to form terephthalic anhydride and a pure feedstock of ortho-xylene that can be used for other purposes, such as phthalic anhydride.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method and system for converting ethanol to para-xylene. The method also provides a pathway to produce terephthalic acid from biomass-based feedstocks. In some embodiments, the disclosed method produces p-xylene with high selectivity over other aromatics typically produced in the conversion of ethanol to xylenes, such as m-xylene, ethyl benzene, benzene, toluene, and the like. And, in some embodiments, the method facilitates the ability to use ortho/para mixtures of methylbenzyaldehyde for preparing ortho/para xylene product mixtures that are amendable to fractionation to separate the para- and ortho-xylene products thereby providing a pure feedstock of para-xylene that can be used to form terephthalic anhydride and a pure feedstock of ortho-xylene that can be used for other purposes, such as phthalic anhydride.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for catalytically generating a polyol from biomass are provided. An exemplary method includes the steps of: contacting a feed stream comprising biomass to acid conditions in a first reaction zone, wherein the acid conditions in the first reaction zone are sufficient to hydrolyze a saccharide from the biomass to generate glucose; directing at least a first portion of a first effluent from the first reaction zone to a second reaction zone; and contacting the at least first portion of the first effluent with a first saccharide-to-polyol catalyst system under conditions suitable for catalytic conversion of saccharide to polyol.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for catalytically generating a polyol from whole biomass are provided. An exemplary method includes the steps of: depolymerizing at least a portion of lignin present in a stream that includes whole biomass; generating an effluent that includes depolymerized lignin and a saccharide; separating the effluent to generate a depolymerized lignin stream and a saccharide process stream, wherein the saccharide process stream includes a saccharide and an amount of lignin that is reduced relative to an amount of lignin present the effluent; and contacting the saccharide process stream with a saccharide-to-polyol catalyst system under conditions suitable for the catalytic conversion of saccharide to polyol.

Abstract: Processes for producing reduced acid lignocellulosic-derived pyrolysis oil are provided. In a process, lignocellulosic material is fed to a heating zone. A basic solid catalyst is delivered to the heating zone. The lignocellulosic material is pyrolyzed in the presence of the basic solid catalyst in the heating zone to create pyrolysis gases. The oxygen in the pyrolysis gases is catalytically converted to separable species in the heating zone. The pyrolysis gases are removed from the heating zone and are liquefied to form the reduced acid lignocellulosic-derived pyrolysis oil.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for producing, from renewable carbon sources, acetic acid in an economical manner. In particular, these methods are directed to the separation and recovery of acetic acid as a substantial product (e.g., as much as 5% by weight or more) of biomass pyrolysis. For a given commercial biomass pyrolysis unit, the acetic acid yield can represent a significant quantity of that used in a major industrial applications such as purified terephthalic acid (PTA) production. According to some embodiments, pyrolysis conditions and/or flow schemes advantageously improve the recovery of acetic acid for a given purity level.

Abstract: Processes for producing reduced acid lignocellulosic-derived pyrolysis oil are provided. In a process, lignocellulosic material is fed to a heating zone. A basic solid catalyst is delivered to the heating zone. The lignocellulosic material is pyrolyzed in the presence of the basic solid catalyst in the heating zone to create pyrolysis gases. The oxygen in the pyrolysis gases is catalytically converted to separable species in the heating zone. The pyrolysis gases are removed from the heating zone and are liquefied to form the reduced acid lignocellulosic-derived pyrolysis oil.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for producing, from renewable carbon sources, acetic acid in an economical manner. In particular, these methods are directed to the separation and recovery of acetic acid as a substantial product (e.g., as much as 5% by weight or more) of biomass pyrolysis. For a given commercial biomass pyrolysis unit, the acetic acid yield can represent a significant quantity of that used in a major industrial applications such as purified terephthalic acid (PTA) production. According to some embodiments, pyrolysis conditions and/or flow schemes advantageously improve the recovery of acetic acid for a given purity level.