Patent ID: 7465813

Claim:
A process for making a reaction product comprising 5-methyl-N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone comprising the steps of (a) contacting levulinic acid with at least one alkyl amine, optionally in the presence of an inert solvent, and (b) reacting the products of step (a) with hydrogen gas in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to produce the 5-methyl-N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone, wherein the alkyl group of the alkyl amine is selected from —CH 3 , —CH 2 OH, —C 2 H 5 , —C 2 H 4 OH, straight-chain, branched or cyclic C 3 to C 25 alkyl, straight-chain, branched or cyclic C 3 to C 25 alkyl comprising at least one hydroxyl group, and straight-chain, branched or cyclic C 3 to C 25 alkyl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of O and N.