PROCESS FOR PRODUCING 2,5-FURANDICARBOXYLIC ACID DIALKYL ESTER

1 . A process comprising:

a) contacting 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid, excess alcohol and, optionally, a catalyst in a reactor at a temperature in the range of from 50° C. to 325° C. and a pressure in the range of between 1 bar to 140 bar to form a liquid phase composition comprising an ester of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid, the alcohol and water;

b) lowering the temperature of the liquid phase composition to form a crude crystallized ester of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid;

c) separating the product of step b) to form a solids phase comprising a purified ester of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid and a mother liquor comprising alcohol and water; and

d) removing at least a portion of the water from the mother liquor.

2 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising step e) distilling the purified ester of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid at a temperature in the range of from 38° C. to 204° C. and a pressure in the range of from 0 bar to 3.5 bar.

3 . The process of claim 1 wherein step b) lowering the temperature is conducted in the reactor, in a crystallizing vessel, or in a series of vessels.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein in step b) the temperature is in the range of from −5° C. to 50° C.

5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein step d) is performed by one or more steps of

i) distilling the alcohol from the water;

ii) passing the mother liquor through an adsorbent bed;

iii) passing the mother liquor through molecular sieves;

iv) passing the mother liquor through a membrane; or

v) passing the mother liquor through a reverse osmosis system.

6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is methanol.

7 . A process comprising:

a) contacting 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid, an alcohol source and, optionally, a catalyst in a reactor at a temperature in the range of from 50° to 325° C. and a pressure in the range of from 1 bar to 140 bar to form a liquid composition comprising an ester of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid;

b) lowering the temperature of the liquid phase composition to form a crude crystallized ester of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid; and

c) separating the product of step b) to form a solids phase comprising a purified ester of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid and a mother liquor comprising the alcohol source.

8 . The process of claim 7 , further comprising step d) distilling the purified ester of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid at a temperature in the range of from 38° C. to 204° C. and a pressure in the range of from 0 bar to 3.5 bar.

9 . The process of claim 7 , wherein step b) lowering the temperature is conducted in the reactor, in a crystallizing vessel, or in a series of vessels.

10 . The process of claim 7 , wherein in step b) the temperature is in the range of from −5° C. to 50° C.

11 . The process of claim 7 , wherein the alcohol source is an orthoester, an orthoformate, an acetal, an alkyl carbonate, a trialkyl borate, a cyclic ether comprising 3 or 4 atoms in the ring, or a combination thereof.

12 . The process of claim 7 , further comprising a step of recovering at least a portion of the alcohol source from the mother liquor obtained in step c), and optionally recycling the recovered alcohol source to step a).