Description:
Reference #: 01366
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for Methods and Compositions for hydrodeoxygenation of carbohydrates and carbohydrate analogs
Background:
Lignocellulosic biomass upgrading can provide a useful tool for producing value chemicals using widely available, renewable resources. Derivates from lignocellulosic biomass, such as carbohydrates or carbohydrate analogs, may provide useful starting materials for synthesizing value chemicals without requiring fossil fuels.
Invention Description:
This catalyst, processes and covers reaction conditions for several sugar alcohols such as Xylitol and Sorbitol which are derived from renewable biomass to be chemically upgraded to value added products. Xylitol can be upgraded to 1,2-dideoxypentitol and 1,2,5-pentanetriol which are 300-5000 times more valuable than Xylitol on a per mass basis and are used as chemical building blocks. Sorbitol can be upgraded to 1,2 1,4 and 1,6-hexanediol, and hexane which range from 6-7000 times more valuable than Sorbitol on a per mass basis. The various hexanediols and hexane are widely used commercial solvents and additives with large established global markets. The catalyst also allows for this upgrading to occur at very mild pressures conditions making it viable for scale up and commercialization.
Potential Applications:
This catalyst promotes the simultaneous hydrodeoxygenation of sugar alcohols such as Xylitol and Sorbitol to chemical building blocks, solvents and additives. Since Xylitol and Sorbitol are renewable biomass derived chemicals, this would allow for the renewable production of platform chemicals. The catalyst also allows for the hydrodeoxygenation to occur at moderate pressures (10bar and below) as compared to previously conducted hydrodeoxygenations which are typically conducted between 50-80bar with competitive yields. The reduction in hydrogen pressure needed allows for this reaction to become more economically favorable for commercialization.
Advantages and Benefits:
This catalyst allows for lower hydrogen pressure to be used for this reaction which would lower the expenses in the amount of gas needed, the cost of the reactors used since they can be rated to lower pressures and also improve the safety of this reaction due to the milder operating conditions. This reaction could also offer a very affordable way to produce expensive platform chemicals and lead to increased revenue over what is likely currently done.