Patent ID: 6476239
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: C07D

Abstract:
A process for the preparation of ascorbic acid which comprises the steps of:I. feeding (i) a solution comprising 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (KLG) or a derivative thereof in a first solvent and (ii) a desorbent, which is miscible with the first solvent, to a simulated moving bed reactor containing a solid or mixture of solids effective for catalyzing reaction of KLG or the derivative thereof to ascorbic acid and for separating the reaction products by selective adsorption of at least one product; II. reacting KLG or the derivative thereof to form ascorbic acid; and III. removing from the simulated moving bed reactor (i) a first liquid stream comprising a solution of ascorbic acid in the desorbent and the first solvent and (ii) a second liquid stream comprising the first solvent and the desorbent.