The present invention provides improved solvents, methods, and systems for isolating purified cannabinoids from various sources. It has been found that C.sub.9 to C.sub.11 non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvents, and especially n-decane, work surprisingly well for crystallization of cannabinoids such as cannabidiol. Some variations provide a method of isolating cannabinoids from a cannabinoid-containing solution, comprising contacting the solution with a C.sub.9-C.sub.11 non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent (e.g., n-decane) at a first temperature, to generate a mixture; cooling the mixture to precipitate cannabinoids; and isolating the precipitated cannabinoids. Other variations provide a method of isolating cannabinoids from a cannabinoid-containing solution, comprising contacting the solution with a C.sub.9-C.sub.11 non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent (e.g., n-decane) at a first temperature below the solvent boiling point, to generate a mixture; subjecting the mixture to a second temperature that causes vaporization of the solvent, to precipitate at least some of the cannabinoids; and isolating the precipitated cannabinoids.

Some variations provide a process of converting a cannabinoid into a purified cannabinoid derivative, comprising: providing a starting composition comprising a cannabinoid; providing a C.sub.9-C.sub.11 non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent; introducing the starting composition and the solvent to a conversion reactor; chemically converting some, but not all, of the cannabinoid to a cannabinoid derivative, generating a reaction mixture containing unreacted cannabinoid; conveying the reaction mixture to a crystallization unit; cooling the reaction mixture to precipitate unreacted cannabinoid out of the reaction mixture, thereby generating a mother liquor containing the cannabinoid derivative; and isolating and recovering the cannabinoid derivative from the mother liquor. Systems configured to carry out the disclosed processes are also provided. This invention offers a large-scale solution to economically convert CBD to D9-THC, among many other example. The principles of the invention may be applied to the conversion of various cannabinoids and terpenes into derivative products.

Some variations provide a process of converting a cannabinoid into a purified cannabinoid derivative, comprising: providing a starting composition comprising a cannabinoid; providing a C.sub.9-C.sub.11 non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent; introducing the starting composition and the solvent to a conversion reactor; chemically converting some, but not all, of the cannabinoid to a cannabinoid derivative, generating a reaction mixture containing unreacted cannabinoid; conveying the reaction mixture to a crystallization unit; cooling the reaction mixture to precipitate unreacted cannabinoid out of the reaction mixture, thereby generating a mother liquor containing the cannabinoid derivative; and isolating and recovering the cannabinoid derivative from the mother liquor. Systems configured to carry out the disclosed processes are also provided. This invention offers a large-scale solution to economically convert CBD to D9-THC, among many other example. The principles of the invention may be applied to the conversion of various cannabinoids and terpenes into derivative products.

Some variations provide a process of converting a cannabinoid into a purified cannabinoid derivative, comprising: providing a starting composition comprising a cannabinoid; providing a C.sub.9-C.sub.11 non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent; introducing the starting composition and the solvent to a conversion reactor; chemically converting some, but not all, of the cannabinoid to a cannabinoid derivative, generating a reaction mixture containing unreacted cannabinoid; conveying the reaction mixture to a crystallization unit; cooling the reaction mixture to precipitate unreacted cannabinoid out of the reaction mixture, thereby generating a mother liquor containing the cannabinoid derivative; and isolating and recovering the cannabinoid derivative from the mother liquor. Systems configured to carry out the disclosed processes are also provided. This invention offers a large-scale solution to economically convert CBD to D9-THC, among many other example. The principles of the invention may be applied to the conversion of various cannabinoids and terpenes into derivative products.

Some variations provide a process of converting a cannabinoid into a purified cannabinoid derivative, comprising: providing a starting composition comprising a cannabinoid; providing a C.sub.9-C.sub.11 non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent; introducing the starting composition and the solvent to a conversion reactor; chemically converting some, but not all, of the cannabinoid to a cannabinoid derivative, generating a reaction mixture containing unreacted cannabinoid; conveying the reaction mixture to a crystallization unit; cooling the reaction mixture to precipitate unreacted cannabinoid out of the reaction mixture, thereby generating a mother liquor containing the cannabinoid derivative; and isolating and recovering the cannabinoid derivative from the mother liquor. Systems configured to carry out the disclosed processes are also provided. This invention offers a large-scale solution to economically convert CBD to D9-THC, among many other example. The principles of the invention may be applied to the conversion of various cannabinoids and terpenes into derivative products.

The present disclosure discloses a method for preparing 2,5-dimethylphenol by selective catalytic conversion of lignin, relates to the technical field of chemistry, and includes the following steps: mixing lignin, a catalyst, and ethanol, and then carrying out a catalytic conversion reaction of lignin under the gaseous supercritical conditions of ethanol; and cooling the reaction product by quenching after the completion of reaction, and then subjecting it to separation and extraction to obtain 2,5-dimethylphenol. The catalyst comprises a modified sepiolite carrier, an active metal Mo, and auxiliary agents Zr and Fe. The process of the present disclosure is simple, and the prepared catalyst is a solid catalyst, which avoids problems of difficult recovery, serious environmental pollution and equipment corrosion caused by the use of homogeneous organic acid-base catalysts.

The present disclosure discloses a method for preparing 2,5-dimethylphenol by selective catalytic conversion of lignin, relates to the technical field of chemistry, and includes the following steps: mixing lignin, a catalyst, and ethanol, and then carrying out a catalytic conversion reaction of lignin under the gaseous supercritical conditions of ethanol; and cooling the reaction product by quenching after the completion of reaction, and then subjecting it to separation and extraction to obtain 2,5-dimethylphenol. The catalyst comprises a modified sepiolite carrier, an active metal Mo, and auxiliary agents Zr and Fe. The process of the present disclosure is simple, and the prepared catalyst is a solid catalyst, which avoids problems of difficult recovery, serious environmental pollution and equipment corrosion caused by the use of homogeneous organic acid-base catalysts.

Method and system for the extraction of oils from a biomass with a liquid carbon dioxide using cosolvent. The system and method can be used to extract cannabinoids from cannabis biomass by cryogenically freezing the biomass and exposing the cannabis biomass to sub-cooled liquid carbon dioxide and capturing a first high-terpene extract fraction, and then exposing the cannabis biomass with a mixture of superfluid carbon dioxide and a cosolvent to capture a high cannabinoid second fraction.

Method and system for the extraction of oils from a biomass with a liquid carbon dioxide using cosolvent. The system and method can be used to extract cannabinoids from cannabis biomass by cryogenically freezing the biomass and exposing the cannabis biomass to sub-cooled liquid carbon dioxide and capturing a first high-terpene extract fraction, and then exposing the cannabis biomass with a mixture of superfluid carbon dioxide and a cosolvent to capture a high cannabinoid second fraction.

Some variations provide a system for extracting a product from biomass, comprising: a process chamber having an internal volume; one or more mechanical elements configured to controllably and reversibly mechanically seal the process chamber and reduce the internal volume to mechanically compress the biomass; a fluid port in flow communication with the process chamber; and a collection sub-system in flow communication with the fluid port. Other variations provide a method of extracting a product from biomass, the method comprising: introducing biomass into a process chamber; mechanically sealing the process chamber; mechanically compressing the biomass to release a first fluid material; mechanically decompressing the biomass; introducing an extraction solvent into the process chamber; maintaining process-chamber pressure from about 1 bar to about 1000 bar, wherein the extraction solvent extracts a second fluid material; and recovering the second fluid material from the process chamber. High processing throughput is enabled with this invention.