Abstract: A process for converting sugars to esters of levulinic acid comprises mixing alcohol and glycerol with a feed stock comprising one or more sugars to create a reaction mixture of alcohol, glycerol and the feedstock is disclosed. The reaction mixture is contacted with an acid catalyst. The contact between the acid catalyst and the reaction mixture is maintained at an effective temperature and pressure for a specific time period so as to cause a desired reaction to result in a product stream. The product stream is separated into components by virtue of the difference in their boiling points, miscibility or specific gravity. Esters of levulinic acid, glycerol, alcohol and additional by-products are recovered from the product stream.

Abstract: A polymorph of emtricitabine, wherein said polymorph displays angular positions of characteristic peaks in powder X-ray diffraction pattern 13.61±0.2, 15.54±0.2, 19.49±0.2, 20.55±0.2, 25.89±0.2, 28.09±0.2 and 29.10±0.2. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a polymorph of emtricitabine displaying angular positions of characteristic peaks in powder X-ray diffraction pattern 13.61±0.2, 15.54±0.2, 19.49±0.2, 20.55±0.2, 25.89±0.2, 28.09±0.2 and 29.10±0.2. A process for the preparation of a polymorph of emtricitabine comprising the steps of (a) dissolving crude emtricitabine in polar organic solvent by heating at a temperature of at least 40° C. and not more than 150° C. to form a reaction mixture optionally decreasing the concentration of polar organic solvent in said reaction mixture; cooling the reaction mixture obtained in step (a); and separating the solid from the cooled reaction mixture resulted in step (b).