Ethanol producers eager for new technology to get more fuel from corn

company), TPG fund, andNovozymes.

Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 25 Nov 2013,(655), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie) (inFrench) © ETAI Information 2013

NEWTECHNOLOGY

ITRI introduces ButyFix to makebiobutanol from biomass

On 24 Oct 2013, Taiwan-based high-tech applied research institution,Industrial Technology ResearchInstitute (ITRI), introduced ButyFix, thefirst biochemical technology for bio-butanol transportation-fuel productionwith a negative carbon footprint usingnature’s most abundant biomass,cellulose, as feedstock versus corn.The total energy content in the lignin-rich biomass has the surplus to coverthe energy for production and theentire life cycle of the fuel. Therefore,the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissionof ButyFix bio-butanol is slightlynegative. ButyFix is available forlicensing to biofuel- and chemical-processing organizations. ButyFixtechnology produces bio-butanol withGHG emission reduction of over 100%,much higher than corn ethanol with aGHG reduction of approximately 23%.

Original Source: Industrial Technology ResearchInstitute, 2013. Found onwebsite:http://www.marketwired.com, 24 Oct 2013

Ethanol producers eager for newtechnology to get more fuel from corn

After just one year on the market, theenzyme Novozymes Avantec is nowused to produce over 20% of totalcorn ethanol volumes in the US.Another enzyme, NovozymesSpirizyme Achieve, is used to produceover 10% of US corn ethanol afterbeing on the market for only fourmonths.

Original Source: Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36,2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark, tel: +45 4446 0000, fax:+45 4446 9999, e-mail: info@novozymes.com, 4 Nov2013 (website: http://www.novozymes.com) © Novozymes A/S 2013

Eastman develops new MEGtechnology

Eastman Chemical Co, in conjunctionwith Johnson Matthey DavyTechnologies Ltd, has developed

advanced propriety technology formaking ethylene glycol from syngas.This new technology enables theproduction of mono ethylene glycol(MEG) from a variety of raw materials,including coal, natural gas, orbiomass, and is based on new,propriety catalysts and processdesigned developed by Eastman and JM Davy. Unlike other recentsyngas-based processes, this newtechnology does not go throughoxalate intermediates. Extensive pilotplant demonstration of the newprocess is nearing completion anddialogue is underway for the firstdemonstration.

Original Source: Davy Process Technology, 22 Oct2013, (Davy Process Technology, website:http://www.davyprotech.com/) © Davy ProcessTechnology 2013. Original Source: ICIS ChemicalBusiness, 28 Oct-10 Nov 2013, 284 (13), (Website:http://www.icis.com) © Reed Business InformationLimited 2013. Original Source: Chemical andEngineering News, 28 Oct 2013, 91 (43), 16 (Website:http://www.cen-online.org) © American ChemicalSociety 2013

BP reveals step-out routes to aceticacid and ethylene with all-newtechnologies

On 7 Nov 2013, BP announced twonew technologies for the production ofkey petrochemical feedstocks.SaaBre is a new route for theproduction of acetic acid from syngasand Hummingbird directly convertsethanol to ethylene throughdehydration. SaaBre’s breakthroughis a process for the conversion ofsyngas directly to acetic acid in aproprietary, integrated three-stepprocess, that avoids the need to purifycarbon monoxide or purchasemethanol. SaaBre is expected todeliver a significant reduction invariable manufacturing costs, andlead to capital efficiencies, comparedto the carbonylation of methanol routewhich has been the leadingtechnology for several decades.Hummingbird is a newly developedproprietary process by which ethanolis dehydrated to produce ethylene.The new technology is lower cost andsimpler compared to existing ethanolto ethylene technologies. BothSaaBre and Hummingbird weredeveloped over a number of years atBP’s advanced laboratories at the HullResearch and Technology Centre(HRTC), alongside its acetic acid

manufacturing site, Europe’s largest,at Saltend, Hull. BP is activelyexploring options for commercialisingboth technologies.

Original Source: BP, 7 Nov 2013, (BP plc, website:http://www.bp.com) © BP plc 2013

PATENTSDepolymerising terephthalatepolyesters

Unusually among organocatalysts,this one is not used for any chiralpurpose but for depolymerisingterephthalate polymers so that theymay be recycled. The catalyst is anamidine.

US 8,541,477, IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, and KingAbdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh,Saudi Arabia, 24 Sept 2013

Cinchona-based bifunctionalorganocatalysts

Cinchona derivatives are used in thesynthesis of chiral hemi-esters.

US 8,580,964, Sungkyunkwan University, SouthKorea, 12 Nov 2013

Organocatalysts for stereo-selectivesynthesis

This patent describes several organo-catalysed organic reactions which aretoo complex to be illustrated here, butit also includes key references to earlywork on organocatalysis dating from2000.

US 8,084,641, STC,UNM, Albuquerque, New Mexico,USA, 27 Dec 2011

Conversion of ethanol to propylene

The catalyst is a ZSM-5 catalystmodified with rhenium, operated at300-500°C.

US 8,598,399, Dow Global Technologies LLC,Midland, MI, USA, 3 Dec 2013

Process for reducing the oxygencontent of bio-oil

The bio-oil is reacted with CO or cokeat 100-300°C in the presence of aninorganic catalyst. The catalyst maybe a regenerated FCC catalyst.

US 8,598,393, KiOR Inc, Pasadena, TX, USA, 3 Dec2013

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