Patent ID: 8410291
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: C07C,C07D

Abstract:
1. A process for making a hydrogenated product comprising: a. providing a clarified SA-containing fermentation broth; b. distilling the broth to form an overhead that comprises water and, optionally, ammonia and a first liquid bottoms that includes MAS, at least some DAS, and at least about 20 wt % water; c. cooling and/or evaporating the first bottoms, and optionally adding an antisolvent to the first bottoms to attain a temperature and a 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; d. separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; e. dissolving the first solid portion in water to produce a aqueous MAS solution; f. distilling the aqueous MAS solution at a temperature and pressure sufficient to form a second overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a second bottoms that comprises a major portion of SA, a minor portion of MAS, and water; g. cooling and/or evaporating the second bottoms to cause the second bottoms to separate into a second liquid portion and a second solid that on consists essentially of SA and is substantially free of MAS; h. separating the second solid portion from the second liquid portion; i. recovering the second solid portion; j. 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 k. recovering the hydrogenated product.