The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate or salt thereof, the method being capable of efficiently producing a highly pure 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate or salt thereof. The highly pure 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate or salt thereof can be efficiently produced by performing at least one of the following operations (a) to (d) on a solution containing 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate and impurities exposed to environments of pH 6.0 or less. (a) Hypochlorous acid or salt thereof is added to the solution. (b) The solution is maintained at 40 to 200° C. for 30 minutes or more, provided that the solution contains hypochlorous acid or salt thereof. (c) Calcium salt is added to the solution, and the precipitated calcium 2,3-dihydroxy-3-methylbutanoate is separated from the liquid phase in which 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate and/or the salt is dissolved. (d) A base is added to the solution to separate the liquid phase in which the salt of 2,3-dihydroxy-3-methylbutanoic acid formed is dissolved and the liquid phase in which 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate and/or salt thereof is dissolved.

Provided is a catalyst including a metal component including a first component that is rhenium and one or more second components selected from the group consisting of silicon, gallium, germanium, and indium and a carrier on which the metal component is supported, the carrier including an oxide of a metal belonging to Group 4 of the periodic table. Also provided is an alcohol production method in which a carbonyl compound is treated using the above catalyst. It is possible to produce an alcohol by a hydrogenation reaction of a carbonyl compound with high selectivity and high efficiency while reducing side reactions.

Provided is a catalyst including a metal component including a first component that is rhenium and one or more second components selected from the group consisting of silicon, gallium, germanium, and indium and a carrier on which the metal component is supported, the carrier including an oxide of a metal belonging to Group 4 of the periodic table. Also provided is an alcohol production method in which a carbonyl compound is treated using the above catalyst. It is possible to produce an alcohol by a hydrogenation reaction of a carbonyl compound with high selectivity and high efficiency while reducing side reactions.

Disclosed are systems and methods for the production of polyacrylic acid and superabsorbent polymers from ethylene oxidation to form ethylene oxide. Reacting the ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide to form to beta propiolactone (BPL) or polypropiolactone (PPL), or a combination thereof. An outlet configured to provide a carbonylation stream comprising the BPL or PPL, or a combination thereof and using one or more reactors to convert BPL to acrylic acid or to convert at least some of the BPL to PPL, and then to convert PPL to acrylic acid. An outlet configured to provide a PPL stream to a second reactor tm to convert at least some of the PPL to AA or a third reactor to convert at least some of the PPL to AA. The outlet configured to provide an AA stream to a fourth reactor to convert the AA to polyacrylic acid.

Disclosed are systems and methods for the production of polyacrylic acid and superabsorbent polymers from ethylene oxidation to form ethylene oxide. Reacting the ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide to form to beta propiolactone (BPL) or polypropiolactone (PPL), or a combination thereof. An outlet configured to provide a carbonylation stream comprising the BPL or PPL, or a combination thereof and using one or more reactors to convert BPL to acrylic acid or to convert at least some of the BPL to PPL, and then to convert PPL to acrylic acid. An outlet configured to provide a PPL stream to a second reactor tm to convert at least some of the PPL to AA or a third reactor to convert at least some of the PPL to AA. The outlet configured to provide an AA stream to a fourth reactor to convert the AA to polyacrylic acid.

Disclosed are systems and methods for the production of polyacrylic acid and superabsorbent polymers from ethylene oxidation to form ethylene oxide. Reacting the ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide to form to beta propiolactone (BPL) or polypropiolactone (PPL), or a combination thereof. An outlet configured to provide a carbonylation stream comprising the BPL or PPL, or a combination thereof and using one or more reactors to convert BPL to acrylic acid or to convert at least some of the BPL to PPL, and then to convert PPL to acrylic acid. An outlet configured to provide a PPL stream to a second reactor tm to convert at least some of the PPL to AA or a third reactor to convert at least some of the PPL to AA. The outlet configured to provide an AA stream to a fourth reactor to convert the AA to polyacrylic acid.

An alcohol production method in which an alcohol is produced from a carbonyl compound, the method including producing an alcohol by using a catalyst, the catalyst including a metal component including rhenium having an average valence of 4 or less and a carrier supporting the metal component, the carrier including zirconium oxide. A catalyst for producing an alcohol by hydrogenation of a carbonyl compound, the catalyst including a carrier including zirconium oxide and a metal component supported on the carrier, the metal component including rhenium having an average valence of 4 or less.

An alcohol production method in which an alcohol is produced from a carbonyl compound, the method including producing an alcohol by using a catalyst, the catalyst including a metal component including rhenium having an average valence of 4 or less and a carrier supporting the metal component, the carrier including zirconium oxide. A catalyst for producing an alcohol by hydrogenation of a carbonyl compound, the catalyst including a carrier including zirconium oxide and a metal component supported on the carrier, the metal component including rhenium having an average valence of 4 or less.

Hydroxycarboxylic acids may be biosynthesized from a carbonaceous feedstock and then isolated through forming and subsequently hydrolyzing an intermediate sophorolipid. After biosynthesizing a hydroxycarboxylic acid in a cell culture medium or otherwise providing a hydroxycarboxylic acid in a first aqueous medium, the hydroxycarboxylic acid and glucose may be converted into at least one sophorolipid by a suitable microorganism or an enzyme cocktail. The at least one sophorolipid may be then be separated from the cell culture medium or first aqueous medium and then hydrolyzed in a second aqueous medium to form the hydroxycarboxylic acid and glucose as free components separate from the cell culture medium or first aqueous medium. The hydroxycarboxylic acid is present as a phase separate from the second aqueous medium and the glucose remains in the second aqueous medium.

Hydroxycarboxylic acids may be biosynthesized from a carbonaceous feedstock and then isolated through forming and subsequently hydrolyzing an intermediate sophorolipid. After biosynthesizing a hydroxycarboxylic acid in a cell culture medium or otherwise providing a hydroxycarboxylic acid in a first aqueous medium, the hydroxycarboxylic acid and glucose may be converted into at least one sophorolipid by a suitable microorganism or an enzyme cocktail. The at least one sophorolipid may be then be separated from the cell culture medium or first aqueous medium and then hydrolyzed in a second aqueous medium to form the hydroxycarboxylic acid and glucose as free components separate from the cell culture medium or first aqueous medium. The hydroxycarboxylic acid is present as a phase separate from the second aqueous medium and the glucose remains in the second aqueous medium.