A Physico-Chemical Comparison of KiOR “Distillates (Lignocellulosic), Hydrotreated, C8-26-

Branched, Cyclic and Linear” with Fossil Fuel Hydrodesulfurized Diesel

KiOR Diesel, “Distillates (Lignocellulosic), Hydrotreated, C8-26-Branched, Cyclic and Linear”: 

Conventional fast pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose by heating 

in the absence of oxygen at more than 500 °C. Under appropriate pyrolysis operation conditions, biomass 

can be converted to relatively high yields (~70 wt %) of liquids—a mixture of organic compounds 

(pyrolysis oil) and water. The pyrolysis oils are oxygenated hydrocarbon compounds that result from the 

thermal breakdown of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Collectively, pyrolysis oil comprises a complex 

mixture of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, sugars, phenols, furans, and multifunctional 

compounds such as hydroxyacetaldehyde. The relative amounts of each compound class can vary 

depending on the biomass feedstock used and the operating conditions employed during pyrolysis. 

The proprietary KiOR process is unique. It combines the pyrolysis described above with a proprietary 

catalyst and conventional fluid catalytic cracking technology. This process catalytically converts lignin, 

cellulose and hemicellulose. Hydrotreating further converts the products of conventional pyrolysis to a 

hydrotreated renewable crude analog, “paraffin waxes (lignocellulosic), hydrotreated, C5-40-branched, 

cyclic and linear”, that is a high-quality oil substitute less corrosive and with lower oxygen content 

compared to other bio-based oils. It may be refined using conventional distillation technology. Once 

refined, the distillation cuts are comparable to their fossil fuel based counterparts and can easily be 

blended with the existing fuel supply. 

KiOR diesel (distillate) is a hydrocarbon cut of the KiOR crude analog, “paraffin waxes (lignocellulosic), 

hydrotreated, C5-40-branched, cyclic and linear.”

KiOR diesel, “distillates (lignocellulosic), hydrotreated, C8-26-branched, cyclic and linear”, is

indistinguishable in performance from its fossil fuel counterparts. 

See the infrared comparison of KiOR “distillates (lignocellulosic), hydrotreated, C8-26-branched, cyclic 

and linear” with fossil fuel diesel (Figure 1). 

Comparison of KiOR Diesel, “Distillates (Lignocellulosic), Hydrotreated, C8-26-Branched, Cyclic 

and Linear,” with its Fossil Fuel Analog:

KiOR diesel, “distillates (lignocellulosic), hydrotreated, C8-26-branched, cyclic and linear”

1. CAS Number: 1267611-11-9 

2. CAS Description: “A complex combination of hydrocarbons obtained from a lignocellulosic 

feedstock by thermocatalytic conversion followed by hydrotreatment. It consists predominantly of 

branched, cyclic and linear aliphatic hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons having carbon 

numbers in the range of C8 to C26 and boiling in the range of approximately 160°C to 371°C 

(320°F to 700°F)

3. Boiling in the Range of: Approximately 160°C to 371°C (320°F to 700°F)

4. Specific Gravity: approximately 0.9-0.95 g/cm3

5. Flash Point: 90.5° (195°F), estimated
6. Octanol/Water Partition Coefficient: 2.1 log Kow, mean for the complex mixture, generally in 

compliance with EPA OPPTS 830.7550*

Fossil fuel hydrodesulfurized diesel

1. CAS Number: 68476-34-6 (Represented in the attached Diesel Fuel and Exhaust Emissions 

IPCS summary)

2. CAS Description: “A distillate oil having a minimum viscosity of 32.6 SUS at 37.7°C (100°F) to a 

maximum of 40.1 SUS at 37.7°C (100°F).”

3. Boiling in the Range of: Approximately 154°C to 371°C (309°F to 700°F)

4. Specific Gravity: approximately 0.87-1.0 g/cm3

5. Flash Point: 52°C (125.6°F), closed cup

6. Octanol/Water Partition Coefficient: 3.3-7.06 log Kow

*

Figure 1. Infrared comparison of KiOR diesel, “distillates (lignocellulosic), hydrotreated, C8-26-branched, 

cyclic and linear” (bottom), with commercial CITGO fossil fuel hydrodesulfurized diesel (top).

* While not appropriate for characterizing the solubility of complex mixtures, several good-faith efforts have been made to utilize 

accepted in vitro or in silico modeling methodologies to provide somewhat-informative data.