Abstract: Biomass is processed in a close to equivolumetric mixture of an alcohol and water at elevated temperature, in the presence of a metal catalyst and hydrogen. During this one-pot fractionation process, the hot liquor disentangles the polymeric biomass and depolymerises lignin and hemicellulose, while the catalyst and reductive environment are essential to accumulate and target stable products at high yield (such as phenolics and polyols, respectively). The process is particularly industrially relevant because its overcomes difficult and complex separation protocols, at place in classic biorefinery technology; the process foresees simple product recuperation in one process step into the three fractions; the solid carbohydrate pulp (mainly cellulose) is retrieved upon filtration, while phase separation of n-butanol and water occurs below 125° C. The three resulting product streams provide a versatile platform for down-stream conversion towards added-value bio-based chemicals.

Abstract: A composition of branched fatty acids or esters thereof and the processes for preparing such compositions and to a process of producing a composition of branched C10-C24 fatty acids or esters thereof with a high portion, at least 70% by weight, of mono and polybranched C10-C24 fatty acids or esters thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for producing a lactic acid based polymer, which comprises co-polymerisation of lactide with cyclic dimer of another ?-hydroxy-acid as co-monomer of opposite ?-carbon chirality.

Abstract: A two-step one-pot process for reacting glycolaldehyde with an aminating agent in the presence of a reactive organic fluid for instance a reactive solvent is provided. The first step comprises of contacting glycolaldehyde with an aminating agent in the presence of a reactive fluid for instance a reactive solvent under inert atmosphere to produce unsaturated intermediates, and reacting the reaction mixture obtained in step 1 with hydrogen in the presence of a supported hydrogenation catalyst in a second step.

Abstract: A process for making ortho alkoxy bisphenol monomers includes contacting an (alk-1-enyl)alkoxyphenol (type 1) with an alkoxyphenol (type 2) in the presence of an acidic catalyst. Both type of renewable phenols (type 1 and 2) can be generated from lignocellulosic biomass. The use of such alkoxy phenols as a precursor to bisphenol monomers has the potential to reduce the cost and environmental impact of structural materials, while meeting or exceeding the performance of current petroleum-derived polymers, such as thermoplastics and thermoset resins.

Abstract: Lignocellulose constitutes an alluring renewable feedstock for the production of bio-based chemicals. This contribution demonstrates for the first time a chemocatalytic biorefinery concept that produces three separate product fractions of valuable product families at high yield and purity from lignocellulosic biomass; the product families, merely comprising of stable products, are (i) a lignin oil enriched with high contents of lignin-derived (mono)phenolics, (ii) essentially humin (furanic oligomers)-free hemicellulose-derived polyols, and (iii) a cellulose pulp. This is achieved by processing biomass in a close to equivolumetric mixture of an alcohol (such as n-butanol) and water at elevated temperature, in the presence of a metal catalyst and hydrogen.

Abstract: A two-step one-pot process for reacting glycolaldehyde with an aminating agent in the presence of a reactive organic fluid for instance a reactive solvent is provided. The first step comprises of contacting glycolaldehyde with an aminating agent in the presence of a reactive fluid for instance a reactive solvent under inert atmosphere to produce unsaturated intermediates, and reacting the reaction mixture obtained in step 1 with hydrogen in the presence of a supported hydrogenation catalyst in a second step.

Abstract: A process for preparing cyclic esters by means of a transesterification reaction in the gas phase, comprises the steps of: (i) vaporizing a liquid solution of alpha-hydroxy esters, (ii) passing the ester vapors through a reaction zone containing a solid catalyst and (iii) recovering the cyclic esters from the gaseous product stream; and wherein the solid catalyst comprises at least one metal of titanium (Ti) and Zirconium (Zr), and a SiO2 support, and wherein said metal is chemically bound to the SiO2 support through M-O—Si chemical bonds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide, comprising the steps of: adding thermal energy to at least one solvent; providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid and the at least one solvent; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water; and recovering at least part of the lactide; wherein the step of adding thermal energy to the at least one solvent is performed prior to the step of adding the at least one solvent to the at least one reactor; wherein the at least one solvent is provided in the at least one reactor independently from the lactic acid by a separate entry into the at least one reactor; and, wherein the step of converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water is performed in one step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide, comprising the steps of: adding thermal energy to at least one of one or more components; providing the one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid and at least one solvent; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water; recovering at least part of the lactide; recovering at least part of the at least one solvent; recovering at least part of the thermal energy, wherein at least part of the recovered thermal energy is recovered from the recovered solvent; and adding the recovered thermal energy to at least one of the one or more components.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide, comprising the steps of: providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid and a solvent; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water; recovering at least part of the lactide; and recovering at least part of the water; wherein the step of converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water is performed in one step; and wherein the step of recovering at least part of the water comprises a decantation step, preferably with the proviso that the step of recovering at least part of the water does not comprise an azeotropic distillation step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide comprising the steps of: providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water and into lactic acid oligomers; recovering at least part of the lactide; recovering at least part of the water and at least part of the lactic acid oligomers; adding a feed, optionally comprising lactic acid oligomers, and optionally comprising water, to the recovered water and the recovered lactic acid oligomers, and mixing the feed with the recovered water and the recovered lactic acid oligomers to form a mixture; converting at least part of the lactic acid oligomers in the mixture into lactic acid and into lactic acid dimer; and removing at least part of the water from the mixture; whereby at least part of the remainder of the mixture is provided as one of the one or more components that are provided to the at least one reactor; and, wher

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide, comprising the steps of: providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid and a solvent; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water; recovering at least part of the lactide; and recovering at least part of the water; wherein the step of converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water is performed in one step; and wherein the step of recovering at least part of the water comprises a decantation step, preferably with the proviso that the step of recovering at least part of the water does not comprise an azeotropic distillation step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide, comprising the steps of: adding thermal energy to at least one solvent; providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid and the at least one solvent; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water; and recovering at least part of the lactide; wherein the step of adding thermal energy to the at least one solvent is performed prior to the step of adding the at least one solvent to the at least one reactor; wherein the at least one solvent is provided in the at least one reactor independently from the lactic acid by a separate entry into the at least one reactor; and, wherein the step of converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water is performed in one step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide comprising the steps of: providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water and into lactic acid oligomers; recovering at least part of the lactide; recovering at least part of the water and at least part of the lactic acid oligomers; adding a feed, optionally comprising lactic acid oligomers, and optionally comprising water, to the recovered water and the recovered lactic acid oligomers, and mixing the feed with the recovered water and the recovered lactic acid oligomers to form a mixture; converting at least part of the lactic acid oligomers in the mixture into lactic acid and into lactic acid dimer; and removing at least part of the water from the mixture; whereby at least part of the remainder of the mixture is provided as one of the one or more components that are provided to the at least one reactor; and, wher

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide, comprising the steps of: adding thermal energy to at least one of one or more components; providing the one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid and at least one solvent; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water; recovering at least part of the lactide; recovering at least part of the at least one solvent; recovering at least part of the thermal energy, wherein at least part of the recovered thermal energy is recovered from the recovered solvent; and adding the recovered thermal energy to at least one of the one or more components.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a cyclic ester or a cyclic amide, comprising the step of: contacting at least one hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or at least one amino-carboxylic acid; or an ester, or salt thereof; wherein said hydroxycarboxylic acid is a 2-hydroxycarboxylic acid, or a 6-hydroxycarboxylic acid; and wherein said amino carboxylic acid is a 2-amino-carboxylic acid or a 6-amino-carboxylic acid; with at least one acidic zeolite comprising: two or three interconnected and non-parallel channel systems, wherein at least one of said channel systems comprises 10-or more-membered ring channels; and a framework Si/X2 ratio of at least 24 as measured by NMR; or three interconnected and non-parallel channel systems, wherein at least two of said channel systems comprise 10-or more-membered ring channels; and a framework Si/X2 ratio of at least 6 as measured by NMR; wherein each X is Al or B, and wherein the process is performed at a pressure between 0.5 and 20 bar.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a cyclic ester or a cyclic amide, comprising the step of: contacting at least one hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or at least one amino-carboxylic acid; or an ester, or salt thereof; wherein said hydroxycarboxylic acid is a 2-hydroxycarboxylic acid, or a 6-hydroxycarboxylic acid; and wherein said amino carboxylic acid is a 2-amino-carboxylic acid or a 6-amino-carboxylic acid; with at least one acidic zeolite comprising: two or three interconnected and non-parallel channel systems, wherein at least one of said channel systems comprises 10- or more-membered ring channels; and a framework Si/X2 ratio of at least 24 as measured by NMR; or three interconnected and non-parallel channel systems, wherein at least two of said channel systems comprise 10- or more-membered ring channels; and a framework Si/X2 ratio of at least 6 as measured by NMR; wherein each X is Al or B, and wherein the process is performed at a pressure between 0.5 and 20 bar.

Abstract: A process for preparing a cyclic ester or a cyclic amide includes contacting hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or amino-carboxylic acid, an ester thereof, or a salt thereof, with acidic zeolite. The hydroxycarboxylic acid is a 2- or 6-hydroxycarboxylic acid, and the amino carboxylic acid is a 2- or 6-amino-carboxylic acid. The zeolite may include two or three interconnected and non-parallel channel systems, in which a channel system includes 10- or more-membered ring channels, and in which a framework Si/X2 ratio is at least 24 as measured by NMR. X is Al or B. The zeolite may include three interconnected and non-parallel channel systems, in which at least two channel systems include 10- or more-membered ring channels, and in which a framework Si/X2 ratio is at least 6 as measured by NMR. The process may be performed at a pressure between 0.5 and 20 bar.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the production of conjugated polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), preferably conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), using finely dispersed heterogeneous metal catalysts on a mesoporous support, in the absence of Hg. The present invention also relates to a method to increase the large microporosity and (optionally) the small mesoporosity of a zeolite, thus obtaining a modified zeolite having a large and highly accessible internal surface.