Muconic Acid Ester Purification by High-Vacuum Distillation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing and purifying muconic acid and its esters are inefficient, costly, and unsuitable for large-scale industrial applications due to high solvent use, catalyst expense, low yield, and safety concerns, particularly in distillation processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving esterification of aldaric acid to muconic acid ester using ammonium perrhenate as a catalyst, followed by high vacuum distillation in a total heating environment to purify the product, reducing solvent use and enabling efficient recovery and scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional purification methods (chromatography, repeated crystallization) are used to remove 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from muconic acid ester, then purity is improved, but processing time and operational complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful impurity 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from the reaction mixture through filtration and washing steps, separating it from the desired muconic acid ester product. This extraction approach eliminates the need for time-consuming chromatography while achieving high purity product.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary substance (such as activated carbon or other adsorbents) to facilitate the removal of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural impurities. The intermediary selectively binds to the impurity, allowing for easy separation and purification of the muconic acid ester without complex chromatographic procedures.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional purification methods (chromatography, repeated crystallization) are used to remove 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from muconic acid ester, then purity is improved, but the number of processing steps and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful impurity 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is extracted and removed through simple filtration and washing operations, eliminating the need for complex chromatography systems and multiple crystallization cycles. This reduces operational complexity while maintaining high product purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reaction system is designed to self-purify to some extent through controlled reaction conditions and in-situ removal of impurities. The process inherently minimizes impurity formation and facilitates easy separation, reducing the need for complex downstream purification operations.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional purification methods are used, then purity is improved, but material loss increases due to multiple processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The impurity 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is selectively extracted and removed, allowing the majority of the valuable muconic acid ester to remain in the solution. This selective extraction minimizes material loss compared to methods that require multiple crystallization cycles where product is lost in each step.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements recovery steps where the muconic acid ester is recovered from the reaction mixture through efficient isolation techniques. Any material that would otherwise be lost in conventional purification is recovered and incorporated into the final product, minimizing overall material loss.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves high yield and purity of muconic acid esters with reduced catalyst use, cleaner reactors, and safer operations, making it suitable for large-scale industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
The reaction mixture is hydrolyzed with an aqueous acid or base to produce the corresponding muconic acid
Implementation Method 2
The reaction mixture is oxidized with a suitable oxidizing agent to produce the corresponding muconic acid
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing muconic acid ester from aldaric acid ester, and for separating and purifying the produced muconic acid ester by high vacuum distillation in a total heating environment.