Regeneration of Hydrochloric Acid in the Catalytic Fructose Conversion to Levulinic Acid
Valery Е. Tarabanko, Marina A. Smirnova, Michael Yu. Chernyak
Abstract
The extraction method to regenerate hydrochloric acid as the catalyst of the fructose conversion to levulinic acid (LA) is developed. The influence of potassium chloride additions on the conversion and extraction processes is studied. Using HCl and KCl solution as a catalyst and butanol as an extractant permits to regenerate the catalyst, to decrease catalyst and exractant consumptions in comparison with usual LA extraction from neutralized water solutions. The extraction degree of 94 % for obtained butyl levulinate is attained by using 2:1 volume ratio of water and butanol phases in one stage.