Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an organic carbonate, comprising contacting carbon dioxide with an alcohol in the presence of water and a catalyst in a reaction zone resulting in the production of the organic carbonate, wherein the organic carbonate is continuously removed from the reaction zone.

Abstract: A process for the production of a high purity first diol from a product stream comprising two or more C2 to C7 diols, said process comprising the steps of: (i) providing the product stream to a first distillation column; (ii) providing an extractant selected from the group of C3 to C6 sugar alcohols and mixtures thereof to the first distillation column; (iii) operating the first distillation column to obtain a first bottoms stream comprising at least a first diol and the extractant; (iv) providing the first bottoms stream to a second distillation column operating to obtain a second top stream comprising the first diol and diols with atmospheric boiling points at least 10° C. higher than the first diol, and (v) providing the second top stream to a third distillation column to obtain a third top stream comprising the first diol; wherein the product stream comprises 0.1 to 10 wt % of diols with atmospheric boiling points at least 10° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process wherein a dialkyl carbonate stream containing an ether alkanol impurity is subjected to extractive distillation using an extraction solvent to obtain a top stream comprising dialkyl carbonate and a bottom stream comprising the ether alkanol impurity and the extraction solvent, wherein the extraction solvent is an organic compound containing one or more ester moieties and/or ether moieties which organic compound does not contain a hydroxyl group. Further, the invention relates to a process for making a diaryl carbonate, comprising reacting an aryl alcohol with a stream containing a dialkyl carbonate from which stream an ether alkanol impurity has been removed in accordance with the above-described process.

Abstract: A process for preparing glycols from a lignocellulosic solid biomass involves contacting the biomass with an organic solvent comprising a low boiling point alcohol and a pre-treatment acid at a temperature in a range from 80 to 220° C. and a pressure in a range from 1 to 50 bara. The resulting mixture, having less than wt. % water, is separated into a pre-treated solid residue comprising cellulose and a liquid stream comprising dissolved lignin. The pre-treated solid residue is subjected to a hydrogenolysis reaction. generating a glycols stream, a lights stream, comprising a first portion of organic solvent, and a heavies stream. At least part of the liquid stream is separated to produce a second portion of organic solvent and a lignin stream. At least part of the first and second portions of organic solvent is recycled to the contacting step.

Abstract: A process for the preparing glycols from a lignocellulosic solid biomass involves contacting the biomass with an organic solvent comprising a low boiling point alcohol and a pre-treatment acid at a temperature in a range from 80 to 220° C. and a pressure in a range from 1 to 50 bara. The resulting mixture, having >20 wt. % water, is separated into a pre-treated solid residue comprising cellulose and a liquid stream comprising dissolved lignin and hemicellulose. The pre-treated solid residue is subjected to a hydrogenolysis reaction, generating a glycols stream, a lights stream, comprising a first portion of organic solvent, and a heavies stream. At least of part of the liquid stream is separated to produce a second portion of organic solvent and a solid residue of lignin and hemicellulose. At least part of the first and second portion of organic solvent is recycled to the contacting step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an organic carbonate, comprising contacting carbon dioxide with an alcohol in the presence of water and a catalyst in a reaction zone resulting in the production of the organic carbonate, wherein the organic carbonate is continuously removed from the reaction zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process wherein a dialkyl carbonate stream containing an ether alkanol impurity is subjected to extractive distillation using an extraction solvent to obtain a top stream comprising dialkyl carbonate and a bottom stream comprising the extraction solvent and the ether alkanol impurity, wherein the extraction solvent is an organic compound containing one or more hydroxyl groups and one or more ester moieties and/or ether moieties. Further, the invention relates to a process for making a diaryl carbonate, comprising reacting an aryl alcohol with a stream containing a dialkyl carbonate from which stream an ether alkanol impurity has been removed in accordance with the above-described process.

Abstract: A process for the production of glycols is provided, the process comprising the steps of: (i) contacting a saccharide-containing feedstock with a catalyst system in a reactor in the presence of a reaction medium, a buffer system for controlling the pH within the reactor, and hydrogen; (ii) withdrawing a reactor product stream from the reactor; (iii) separating the reactor product stream into at least a glycol product stream and a hydrocarbon heavies stream; and (iv) recycling the hydrocarbon heavies stream at least partially back to the reactor; wherein components of the buffer system withdrawn from the reactor in the reactor product stream separate with the heavies stream and are recycled therewith.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharide, wherein the process comprises the steps of: i) providing the starting material and hydrogen to a first reactor and reacting said starting material and hydrogen therein in the presence of a solvent and a first catalyst system comprising a retro-aldol catalyst composition and a hydrogenation catalyst composition; ii) continuously removing a first reactor product stream from the first reactor, said first reactor product stream comprising ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol and in the range of from 2 to 40 wt % of sugar alcohols; iii) contacting said first reactor product stream in a second reactor in the presence of hydrogen with a second catalyst system comprising at least a hydrogenation catalyst composition; and iv) converting a portion of the sugar alcohols in the second reactor into ethylene glycol and/or 1,2-propylene glycol to provide a second reactor

Abstract: A process for the production of glycols is provided, the process comprising the steps of: (i) contacting a saccharide-containing feedstock with a catalyst system in a reactor in the presence of a reaction medium, a buffer system for controlling the pH within the reactor, and hydrogen; (ii) withdrawing a reactor product stream from the reactor; (iii) separating the reactor product stream into at least a glycol product stream and a hydrocarbon heavies stream; and (iv) recycling the hydrocarbon heavies stream at least partially back to the reactor; wherein components of the buffer system withdrawn from the reactor in the reactor product stream separate with the heavies stream and are recycled therewith.

Abstract: The invention provides a catalyst system comprising: a) one or more Group 1 metal phosphotungstate-containing species; and b) one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation; and a process for the preparation of monoethylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, by contacting said starting material with hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a solvent and said catalyst system.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharide, wherein the process comprises the steps of: i) providing the starting material and hydrogen to a first reactor and reacting said starting material and hydrogen therein in the presence of a solvent and a first catalyst system comprising a retro-aldol catalyst composition and a hydrogenation catalyst composition; ii) continuously removing a first reactor product stream from the first reactor, said first reactor product stream comprising ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol and in the range of from 2 to 40 wt % of sugar alcohols; iii) contacting said first reactor product stream in a second reactor in the presence of hydrogen with a second catalyst system comprising at least a hydrogenation catalyst composition; and iv) converting a portion of the sugar alcohols in the second reactor into ethylene glycol and/or 1,2-propylene glycol to provide a second reactor

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of glycols from a saccharide-containing feedstock in a reactor system, said process comprising: i) providing a first feed stream comprising said saccharide-containing feedstock in a first solvent at a N temperature of no more than 160° C.; ii) providing a second feed stream comprising a tungsten-based retro-aldol catalytic species and an alkali metal containing species in a second solvent at a temperature in the range of from 150 to 250° C.; iii) combining the first feed stream and the second feed stream, before they are provided to the reactor system, to form a combined feed stream; iv) providing the combined feed stream to the reactor system and operating the reactor at a temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 250° C.; and v) also contacting the combined feed stream with a hydrogenation catalytic species in the presence of hydrogen, wherein the molar ratio of alkali metal:tungsten in the combined feed stream is in the range of from 0.55 to 6.

Abstract: The invention provides a catalyst system comprising: a) one or more silver tungstate-containing species; and b) one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation, wherein the weight ratio of said one or more silver tungstate-containing species to the one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation is greater than 2.5:1, on the basis of the total weight of the catalyst system; and a process for the preparation of monoethylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, by contacting said starting material with hydrogen in a reactor at a reactor temperature in the range of from 145 to 190° C. in the presence of a solvent and said catalyst system.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of glycols from a saccharide-containing feedstock in a reactor system, said process comprising: i) providing a first feed stream comprising said saccharide-containing feedstock in a first solvent at a N temperature of no more than 160° C.; ii) providing a second feed stream comprising a tungsten-based retro-aldol catalytic species and an alkali metal containing species in a second solvent at a temperature in the range of from 150 to 250° C.; iii) combining the first feed stream and the second feed stream, before they are provided to the reactor system, to form a combined feed stream; iv) providing the combined feed stream to the reactor system and operating the reactor at a temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 250° C.; and v) also contacting the combined feed stream with a hydrogenation catalytic species in the presence of hydrogen, wherein the molar ratio of alkali metal:tungsten in the combined feed stream is in the range of from 0.55 to 6.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production of a high purity first diol, selected from the group consisting of C2 to C7 diols from a product stream comprising two or more C2 to C7 diols, said process comprising the steps of: (i) subjecting the product stream to distillation in a first distillation column to provide a bottoms stream comprising high boiling by-products and a top stream comprising a mixture comprising the two or more C2 to C7 diols; (ii) providing said mixture comprising the two or more C2 to C7 diols as a feed to a second distillation column; (iii) providing a feed comprising an extractant to the second distillation column above the mixture comprising the two or more C2 to C7 diols; (iv) operating the second distillation column at a temperature in the range of from 50 to 250° C. and a pressure in the range of from 0.

Abstract: A process for the production of high purity mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) from a product stream of a saccharide hydrogenolysis process. The process having the steps of: (i) removing solvent from the product stream to provide a solvent-lean product stream; (ii) subjecting the solvent-lean product stream to distillation to provide a bottoms stream comprising high boiling by-products and a top stream comprising a mixture comprising MEG and 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO); (iii) providing said mixture having MEG and 1,2-BDO as a feed to a distillation column; (iv) providing a feed comprising an extractant of C3 to C6 alcohols and mixtures thereof to the distillation column above the mixture comprising MEG and 1,2-BDO; (v) removing a stream comprising MEG and the extractant as a bottoms stream from the distillation column; and (vi) subjecting the stream comprising MEG and the extractant to distillation to provide a top stream comprising high purity MEG.

Abstract: The invention provides a continuous process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1, 2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, said process being carried out in a reactor system comprising a reactor vessel equipped with an external recycle loop and said process comprising the steps of: i) providing the starting material in a solvent, via an inlet, to the external recycle loop and contacting it therein with a retro-aldol catalyst composition to provide an intermediate stream; ii) then contacting said intermediate stream with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst composition in the reactor vessel; iii) withdrawing a product stream comprising glycols from the reactor vessel; iv) providing a portion of said product stream, via an outlet, for separation and purification of the glycols contained therein; and v) recycling the remainder of said product stream via the external recycle loop.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for recovering a metallic component from a process stream, said process comprising passing said process stream over a ceramic membrane comprising a selective layer with a pore size in the range of from at least 0.5 nm to at most 10 nm; applying a pressure difference across said ceramic membrane such that the pressure outside the ceramic membrane is at least 50 kPa lower than the pressure inside the ceramic membrane; and, thus, providing a permeate stream which has passed through the ceramic membrane and which is depleted in the metallic component and a retentate stream enriched in the metallic component; wherein the process stream is derived from a process for the conversion of saccharide-containing feedstock into glycols.

Abstract: A process for the production of high purity mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) from a product stream of a saccharide hydrogenolysis process. The process having the steps of: (i) removing solvent from the product stream to provide a solvent-lean product stream; (ii) subjecting the solvent-lean product stream to distillation to provide a bottoms stream comprising high boiling by-products and a top stream comprising a mixture comprising MEG and 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO); (iii) providing said mixture having MEG and 1,2-BDO as a feed to a distillation column; (iv) providing a feed comprising an extractant of C3 to C6 alcohols and mixtures thereof to the distillation column above the mixture comprising MEG and 1,2-BDO; (v) removing a stream comprising MEG and the extractant as a bottoms stream from the distillation column; and (vi) subjecting the stream comprising MEG and the extractant to distillation to provide a top stream comprising high purity MEG.