Patent ID: 8492586
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: C07C,C07D,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for separating and recovering a formate salt from an aqueous liquid mixture containing formic acid, levulinic acid, and up to 10% by weight furfural, obtained by a degradation of biomass process, comprising: subjecting said mixture to liquid-liquid extraction process with an extracting agent, resulting in an organic phase comprising said extracting agent, formic acid, levulinic, acid furfural, and up to 5% by weight water, and an aqueous phase comprising water and at least one inorganic acid; separating said aqueous phase from said organic phase; separating and recovering furfural from said organic phase and recycling the aqueous phase formed in the furfural recovery back to an infeed of said organic phase; separating formic acid from said organic phase by distillation; and recovering the formic acid in a form of formate salt from said organic phase by subsequent neutralisation.