Abstract:
Processes for making pyrrolidones include providing a clarified diammonium succinate (DAS)-containing and/or monoammonium succinate (MAS)-containing fermentation broth; distilling the broth under super atmospheric pressure at a temperature of greater than 100° C. to about 300° C. to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes SA, and at least about 20 wt % water; cooling and/or evaporating the bottoms to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion and a solid portion that is substantially pure SA; separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and converting the solid SA portion to pyrrolidones.
Abstract:
Processes include providing a clarified diammonium succinate (DAS)- or monoammonium succinate (MAS)- containing fermentation broth; distilling the broth of an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes SA, and at least about 20 wt % water; cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion in contact with a solid portion that is substantially pure SA; separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and converting the solid portion to produce nitrogen containing compounds such as diamino butane (DAB), succinic dinitrile (SDN), succinic amino nitrile (SAN) or succinamide (DAM) and downstream products.
Abstract:
Processes for making caprolactam (CL) from monoammonium adipate (MAA) and/or adipic aicd (AA) obtained from a clarified diammonium adipate-containing (DAA-containing) fermentation broth or MAA-containing fermentation broth and converting the MAA or AA to the CL with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst at selected temperatures and pressures.
Abstract:
Processes for making AA from either a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth or a clarified MAA-containing fermentation broth that include distilling the broth under super atmospheric pressure at a temperature of >100° C. to about 300° C. to form an overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes AA, and at least about 20 wt % water; cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion and a solid portion that is substantially pure AA; and separating the solid portion from the liquid portion. A method also reduces the broth distillation temperature and pressure by adding an ammonia separating and/or water azeotroping solvent to the broth.
Abstract:
A process for making MAA from a clarified DAA-containing fermentation broth includes (a) distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes MAA, at least some DAA, and at least about 20 wt. % water; (b) cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a DAA-containing liquid portion in contact with a MAA-containing solid portion that is substantially free of DAA; (c) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and (d) recovering the solid portion.
Abstract:
A process for making a NH4+OOC—R—COOH compound from a clarified NH4+OOC—R—COO′NH4+ compound-containing fermentation broth includes (a) distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes a NH4+OOC˜R˜COOH compound, at least some of a NH4+QOC—R—COO″NH4+ compound, and at least about 20 wt % water; (b) cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a NH4+OOC—R˜C00′NH4+ compound-containing liquid portion in contact with a NH4+OOC—R—COOH compound-containing solid portion that is substantially free of the NH4+OOC—R—COO″NH4+ compound; (c) separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; and (d) recovering the solid portion.
Abstract:
A process for making a hydrogenated product includes providing a clarified DAS-containing fermentation broth, distilling the broth to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes MAS, at least some DAS, and at least about 20 wt % water, cooling and/or evaporating the bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the bottoms, to attain a temperature and composition sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a DAS-containing liquid portion and a MAS-containing solid portion that is substantially free of DAS, separating the solid portion from the liquid portion, recovering the solid portion, hydrogenating the second solid portion in the presence of at least one hydrogenation catalyst to produce the hydrogenated product comprising at least one of THF, GBL or BDO, and recovering the hydrogenated product.