Patents by Inventor Rik DE CLERCQ

Rik DE CLERCQ has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Process for preparing glycolide
    Patent number: 11603362
    Abstract: According to the present invention a process is provided for producing glycolide which comprises contacting glycolaldehyde dimer with an oxidizing agent to produce a glycolide product. Preferably, the process is carried out in an aprotic environment, such as in a reaction mixture comprising the glycolaldehyde dimer, the oxidizing agent, the glycolide product and an aprotic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: HALDOR TOPSØE A/S
    Inventors: Amanda Birgitte Sølvhøj, Rik De Clercq, Esben Taarning
  • PROCESS FOR PREPARING GLYCOLIDE
    Publication number: 20210347753
    Abstract: According to the present invention a process is provided for producing glycolide which comprises contacting glycolaldehyde dimer with an oxidizing agent to produce a glycolide product. Preferably, the process is carried out in an aprotic environment, such as in a reaction mixture comprising the glycolaldehyde dimer, the oxidizing agent, the glycolide product and an aprotic solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: HALDOR TOPSØE A/S
    Inventors: Amanda Birgitte SØLVHØJ, Rik DE CLERCQ, Esben TAARNING
  • Process for preparing cyclic esters from alpha-hydroxy esters and catalysts used therein
    Patent number: 10899730
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
    Inventors: Rik De Clercq, Michiel Dusselier, Bert Sels
  • PROCESS FOR PREPARING CYCLIC ESTERS FROM ALPHA-HYDROXY ESTERS AND CATALYSTS USED THEREIN
    Publication number: 20190367471
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Rik DE CLERCQ, Michiel DUSSELIER, Bert SELS