Abstract:
Fatty acid based surfactants and methods for producing fatty acid based surfactants are described. The method includes reacting a fatty acid ester epoxide with a hydroxy acid, a hydroxy ester, a polyoxyalkyl diol, or a polyamine. Any remaining esters from the original fatty acid ester epoxide or hydroxy ester can optionally be hydrolyzed. Methods for making citric acid derived surfactants are also described.
Abstract:
A method for producing a triglyceride including fatty acids with vicinal diesters: (a) providing a triglyceride including fatty acids with epoxide groups; (b) reacting the epoxide groups with carboxylic acid salts under basic conditions to produce a triglyceride including fatty acids with vicinal ester/alkoxides; (c) protonating the vicinal ester/alkoxides to produce a triglyceride including fatty acids with vicinal ester/alcohols; and (d) reacting the vicinal ester/alcohols with carboxylic acids under acidic conditions to produce a triglyceride including fatty acids with vicinal diesters.
Abstract:
Unique methods have been developed to convert polysaccharides into value-added products, such as levulinic acid and alkyl levulinates. The polysaccharides are heated in the presence of water, an alcohol, and an acid to cleave the polysaccharide, and the resulting monosacchrides or monosaccharide acetals or both are contacted with an acid in the presence of an alcohol at a higher temperature. Useful acids include Brønsted acid catalysts and Lewis acid catalysts including mineral acids, metal halides, immobilized heterogeneous catalysts functionalized with a Brønsted acid group or a Lewis acid group, or combinations thereof.
Abstract:
A method for producing a triglyceride including fatty acids with vicinal diesters: (a) providing a triglyceride including fatty acids with epoxide groups; (b) reacting the epoxide groups with carboxylic acid salts under basic conditions to produce a triglyceride including fatty acids with vicinal ester/alkoxides; (c) protonating the vicinal ester/alkoxides to produce a triglyceride including fatty acids with vicinal ester/alcohols; and (d) reacting the vicinal ester/alcohols with carboxylic acids under acidic conditions to produce a triglyceride including fatty acids with vicinal diesters.
Abstract:
Processes for converting the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction of syncrude to polyols are described. The processes involve mixing a feed stream comprising the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction with an alcohol and aqueous sulfuric acid, heating the mixture, reacting the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction with ozone, and reacting the ozonated heavy-oil fraction with glycerin to form the polyol. In some cases, the ozonated heavy-oil fraction can be neutralized before reacting the ozonated heavy-oil fraction with the glycerin.
Abstract:
A process of recovering and recycling a catalyst includes feeding an epoxidized fatty acid ester, a solvent, and a catalyst to a reactor. The solvent is reacted with the epoxidized fatty acid ester to open epoxy rings of the ester and produce a polyol. Some unreacted solvent remains after the reaction. The unreacted solvent is separated from a mixture of the polyol and the catalyst. The polyol/catalyst mixture is passed to an adsorption bed so that the catalyst is adsorbed and the polyol passes through the bed. The polyol is recovered. The adsorption bed is rinsed with the unreacted solvent to desorb the catalyst and obtain a mixture of the solvent and the catalyst. The mixture of solvent and catalyst is recycled to the reactor for further reaction.
Abstract:
A process of recovering and recycling a catalyst includes feeding an epoxidized fatty acid ester, a solvent, and a catalyst to a reactor. The solvent is reacted with the epoxidized fatty acid ester to open epoxy rings of the ester and produce a polyol. Some unreacted solvent remains after the reaction. The unreacted solvent is separated from a mixture of the polyol and the catalyst. The polyol/catalyst mixture is passed to an adsorption bed so that the catalyst is adsorbed and the polyol passes through the bed. The polyol is recovered. The adsorption bed is rinsed with the unreacted solvent to desorb the catalyst and obtain a mixture of the solvent and the catalyst. The mixture of solvent and catalyst is recycled to the reactor for further reaction.
Abstract:
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for upgrading a bio-oil by reaction with an olefin in the presence of a catalyst. For example, upgraded bio-oil may have improved miscibility with hydrophobic fuels.