Patent ID: 9012664
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: C07D,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process comprising: (a) providing a reactive distillation column comprising a top, a bottom, a reaction zone in between the top and the bottom, and a solid acid catalyst disposed in the reaction zone; (b) contacting a feedstock solution with the solid acid catalyst in the presence of sulfolane in the reaction zone for a residence time sufficient to produce a mixture of water and furfural, wherein the sulfolane forms a monophasic solution with water in the reaction zone at a temperature in the range of 90-250° C. and a pressure in the range of 0.1-3.87 MPa, wherein the feedstock solution comprises C (c) removing the mixture of water and furfural from the top of the reactive distillation column; and (d) collecting water, unreacted sugars, and nonvolatile byproducts dissolved in the sulfolane from the bottom of the reactive distillation column in a reboiler.