Neat 4-azidobutylamine and sails of 4-azidobutylamine and processes for producing the same are described herein. Amines represent a large class of organic compounds containing a basic nitrogen atom having a lone pair of electrons and one or more substituent groups. Many amines are used as precursors and feedstocks in a wide variety of industries such as textiles, agriculture, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. One such amine is 4-azidobutylamine, N3-(CH2)4NH2, an amine of butane that also includes an azide.

A method of operating a heavy ends column in an acetic acid production unit, said production unit comprising at least a reaction section, a light ends recovery section comprising a light ends distillation column, and a heavy ends column, wherein a stream comprising acetic acid and propionic acid obtained from the light ends recovery section is fed to the heavy ends column through a feed inlet positioned at an intermediate point in the heavy ends column, a product stream comprising essentially acetic acid is withdrawn from the heavy ends column through a sidedraw product outlet position above the feed inlet, and a product stream comprising the propionic acid is withdrawn from the heavy ends column through a heavy product outlet positioned below the feed inlet, wherein the heavy ends column is operated under conditions such that the pressure in the heavy ends column above the feed inlet is lower than the pressure of the stream comprising acetic acid and propionic acid that is fed to the heavy ends column, and wherein the head pressure of the heavy ends column is below 1.0 bara, the number of theoretical separation stages between the feed inlet and the sidedraw product outlet is at least 5, preferably at least 7, more preferably at least 10, and the pressure drop in the part of the heavy ends column between the feed inlet and the sidedraw product outlet is at most 10 mbar per theoretical separation stage.

A method of operating a heavy ends column in an acetic acid production unit, said production unit comprising at least a reaction section, a light ends recovery section comprising a light ends distillation column, and a heavy ends column, wherein a stream comprising acetic acid and propionic acid obtained from the light ends recovery section is fed to the heavy ends column through a feed inlet positioned at an intermediate point in the heavy ends column, a product stream comprising essentially acetic acid is withdrawn from the heavy ends column through a sidedraw product outlet position above the feed inlet, and a product stream comprising the propionic acid is withdrawn from the heavy ends column through a heavy product outlet positioned below the feed inlet, wherein the heavy ends column is operated under conditions such that the pressure in the heavy ends column above the feed inlet is lower than the pressure of the stream comprising acetic acid and propionic acid that is fed to the heavy ends column, and wherein the head pressure of the heavy ends column is below 1.0 bara, the number of theoretical separation stages between the feed inlet and the sidedraw product outlet is at least 5, preferably at least 7, more preferably at least 10, and the pressure drop in the part of the heavy ends column between the feed inlet and the sidedraw product outlet is at most 10 mbar per theoretical separation stage.

Chromium propionate, as an animal feed supplement, is created employing chromium carbonate and propionic acid as starting materials. A quantity of chromium carbonate is dissolved into water and propionic acid is stirred in to this, followed by calcium oxide. The propionic acid reacts with the chromium carbonate to form chromium propionate. The calcium oxide minimizes the hygroscopic nature of the finished product, to prevent caking and lumping. The chromium propionate appears as a precipitate, which is dried and can be centrifuged to drive out excess propionic acid. The dried precipitate is delumped and ground to a desired particle size. The end product has a minimum of 10% active bio-available chromium(III) content.

Chromium propionate, as an animal feed supplement, is created employing chromium carbonate and propionic acid as starting materials. A quantity of chromium carbonate is dissolved into water and propionic acid is stirred in to this, followed by calcium oxide. The propionic acid reacts with the chromium carbonate to form chromium propionate. The calcium oxide minimizes the hygroscopic nature of the finished product, to prevent caking and lumping. The chromium propionate appears as a precipitate, which is dried and can be centrifuged to drive out excess propionic acid. The dried precipitate is delumped and ground to a desired particle size. The end product has a minimum of 10% active bio-available chromium(III) content.

This invention relates to solvents for extracting C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 carboxylic acids from aqueous streams. More specifically, the extraction solvents include one or more salts composed of a tetraalkylphosphonium cation and a phosphinate anion. The extraction solvents may further include one or more co-solvents as an enhancer. The co-solvents may be selected from higher carboxylic acids, ethers, esters, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and nitriles. The extraction solvents are useful for extracting aqueous mixtures containing one or more lower carboxylic acids, such as monocarboxylic acids and organofluorine carboxylic acids.

This invention relates to solvents for extracting C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 carboxylic acids from aqueous streams. More specifically, the extraction solvents include one or more salts composed of a tetraalkylphosphonium cation and a phosphinate anion. The extraction solvents may further include one or more co-solvents as an enhancer. The co-solvents may be selected from higher carboxylic acids, ethers, esters, ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and nitriles. The extraction solvents are useful for extracting aqueous mixtures containing one or more lower carboxylic acids, such as monocarboxylic acids and organofluorine carboxylic acids.

In one embodiment, the present application discloses methods to selectively synthesize higher alcohols and hydrocarbons useful as fuels and industrial chemicals from syngas and biomass. Ketene and ketonization chemistry along with hydrogenation reactions are used to synthesize fuels and chemicals. In another embodiment, ketene used to form fuels and chemicals may be manufactured from acetic acid which in turn can be synthesized from synthesis gas which is produced from coal, biomass, natural gas, etc.

In one embodiment, the present application discloses methods to selectively synthesize higher alcohols and hydrocarbons useful as fuels and industrial chemicals from syngas and biomass. Ketene and ketonization chemistry along with hydrogenation reactions are used to synthesize fuels and chemicals. In another embodiment, ketene used to form fuels and chemicals may be manufactured from acetic acid which in turn can be synthesized from synthesis gas which is produced from coal, biomass, natural gas, etc.

The invention describes processes to convert biomass char, such as levulinic acid process char, into useful products.