A process (1, 2) for processing feedstock containing cotton fibres and PET fibres, the process (1, 2) comprises: i. heating a suspension of feedstock containing cotton fibres and PET fibres in water at a temperature above 180° C. to produce a mixture comprising char; ii. removing the water from the mixture comprising char; iii. adding a base to the mixture comprising char to produce a terephthalate salt in a liquid phase; iv. removing the char from the liquid phase to produce dried char; v. acidifying the liquid phase to produce terephthalic acid.

A method for separating trans isomer crocetin from cis isomer crocetin is provided. The method comprises crystallizing all-trans crocetin with calcium ions first by using different binding capabilities between cis and trans isomeric crocetin to calcium ions and acidifying the all-trans crocetin to obtain 13-cis crocetin.

A method for separating trans isomer crocetin from cis isomer crocetin is provided. The method comprises crystallizing all-trans crocetin with calcium ions first by using different binding capabilities between cis and trans isomeric crocetin to calcium ions and acidifying the all-trans crocetin to obtain 13-cis crocetin.

The present invention relates to the field of laboratory-scale sample preparation, which describes a methodology for the specific isolation of tetraprotic naphthenic acids, called ARN acids, from residual naphthenate deposits from petroleum production. The method consists of cleaning the naphthenate deposit, converting the naphthenate salts to naphthenic acids and isolating the ARN acids from the other organic acids, using a silica-based sorbent material with aminopropyl functional groups, previously selected for an efficient elution of different functional groups and polarities.

The present invention relates to the field of laboratory-scale sample preparation, which describes a methodology for the specific isolation of tetraprotic naphthenic acids, called ARN acids, from residual naphthenate deposits from petroleum production. The method consists of cleaning the naphthenate deposit, converting the naphthenate salts to naphthenic acids and isolating the ARN acids from the other organic acids, using a silica-based sorbent material with aminopropyl functional groups, previously selected for an efficient elution of different functional groups and polarities.

A process for the preparation of bio-based malonic acid and crystalline calcium malonate is provided. The calcium malonate is highly pure and provides a source of malonic acid made from a renewable carbon source rather than existing processes which rely on the use of petroleum-based products. The calcium malonate provides an improved source of malonic acid, which is important to many industrial processes.

A process for the preparation of bio-based malonic acid and crystalline calcium malonate is provided. The calcium malonate is highly pure and provides a source of malonic acid made from a renewable carbon source rather than existing processes which rely on the use of petroleum-based products. The calcium malonate provides an improved source of malonic acid, which is important to many industrial processes.

The invention relates to a method for producing a formate, the method including reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide, a hydrogen carbonate or a carbonate using a catalyst in the presence of a solvent, wherein the reaction is a two-phase system in which an organic solvent and an aqueous solvent are present in a separated state in the solvent, and the catalyst is at least one selected from a ruthenium complex represented by the formula (1) in the specification, a tautomer or stereoisomer thereof, and a salt compound of the complex, tautomer or stereoisomer.

The invention relates to a method for producing a formate, the method including reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide, a hydrogen carbonate or a carbonate using a catalyst in the presence of a solvent, wherein the reaction is a two-phase system in which an organic solvent and an aqueous solvent are present in a separated state in the solvent, and the catalyst is at least one selected from a ruthenium complex represented by the formula (1) in the specification, a tautomer or stereoisomer thereof, and a salt compound of the complex, tautomer or stereoisomer.

A method of synthesizing anhydrous lactic acid is provided by reacting a compound of formula (Ia): with an acid compound of formula H.sub.nX in a first solvent to produce a reaction mixture comprising a compound of formula (Ib) and a lactic acid compound of formula (I) in solution with the first solvent and/or water. n is an integer other than 0, x is 0, or an integer other than 0, M is an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal and X is the conjugate base of the acid compound of formula H.sub.nX. The resulting reaction mixture is filtered to produce a filtrate containing lactic acid in solution. The filtrate is crystalized from a second solvent to produce anhydrous lactic acid.

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