Production of fuel from chemicals derived from biomass
View Patent ↗Hydrocarbons may be formed from six carbon sugars. This process involves obtaining a quantity of a hexose sugar. The hexose sugar may be derived from biomass. The hexose sugar is reacted to form an alkali metal levulinate, an alkali metal valerate, an alkali metal 5-hydroxy pentanoate, or an alkali metal 5-alkoxy pentanoate. An anolyte is then prepared for use in a electrolytic cell. The anolyte contains the alkali metal levulinate, the alkali metal valerate, the alkali metal 5-hydroxy pentanoate, or the alkali metal 5-alkoxy pentanoate. The anolyte is then decarboxylated. This decarboxylating operates to decarboxylate the alkali metal levulinate, the alkali metal valerate, the alkali metal 5-hydroxy pentanoate, or the alkali metal 5-alkoxy pentanoate to form radicals, wherein the radicals react to form a hydrocarbon fuel compound.
1. A method for producing a hydrocarbon fuel compound comprising:
obtaining sodium levulinate, wherein the sodium levulinate is derived from a six carbon sugar;
preparing an anolyte for use in an electrolytic cell, the electrolytic cell comprising an anolyte compartment, a catholyte compartment, and a NaSICON membrane that separates the anolyte compartment from the catholyte compartment, wherein the anolyte is housed within the anolyte compartment and a catholyte is housed within the catholyte compartment, wherein the anolyte comprises a solvent and a quantity of the sodium levulinate, wherein the solvent comprises an alcohol; and
electrolyzing the anolyte within the cell, wherein the electrolyzing decarboxylates the sodium levulinate to form radicals, wherein the radicals react to predominantly form 2,7-octadione,
wherein the quantity of the sodium levulinate is devoid of levulinic acid, wherein the only positive cation in the anolyte compartment is the sodium cation.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the 2,7-octadione is a gasoline additive.
3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the alcohol comprises methanol.
4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein obtaining sodium levulinate comprises reacting levulinic acid with a base comprising either NaOH or NaOCH 3 .
5. A method as in claim 4 , wherein the cathode compartment regenerates the base that was used to react with the levulinic acid.
6. A method as in claim 5 , wherein the alcohol comprises methanol.