Process for manufacturing acrylic acid, acrylonitrile and 1,4-butanediol from 1,3-propanediol
The present invention is in the field of producing bio-based commodity organic chemicals such as bio-acrylic acid, bio-acrylonitrile, and bio-1,4-butanediol using renewable carbon sources as feedstock. In the first stage of the present invention, bio-1,3-propanediol is derived from renewable carbon sources through microbial fermentation. In the second stage of the present invention, bio-1,3-propanediol is converted into bio-acrylic acid or bio-acrylonitrile or bio-1,4-butanediol.
1. A process for preparing acrylic acid, comprising:
a. catalytic dehydrating 1,3-propanediol to yield allyl alcohol; and
b. oxidizing said allyl alcohol to yield acrylic acid using a catalyst, wherein said catalyst is KMnO 4 or CrO 3 in H 2 SO 4 .
2. The process for preparing acrylic acid of as in claim 1 , wherein the 1,3-propanediol is obtained from biomass through a fermentative process.
3. A process for preparing acrylic acid, comprising:
a. catalytic dehydrating 1,3-propanediol using a catalyst to yield a mixture of allyl alcohol and acrolein, wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of NbOPO 4 , WO 3 /TiO 2 ; and
b. oxidizing said mixture of allyl alcohol and acrolein to yield acrylic acid using a catalyst, wherein said catalyst is KMnO 4 or CrO 3 in H 2 SO 4 .
4. The process for preparing acrylic acid of claim 3 , wherein the 1,3-propanediol is obtained from biomass through a fermentative process.