The present invention refers to a process for the purification of levulinic acid, an aqueous solution comprising levulinic acid and a process for the production of levulinic acid.

A synthetic nicotine composition comprising synthetic nicotine, a synthetic nicotine salt and a synthetic nicotine derivative, wherein the synthetic nicotine, the synthetic nicotine salt, and the synthetic nicotine derivative are in mass percentage; the synthetic nicotine accounts for 1-20%, the synthetic nicotine salt accounts for 30-70%, and the synthetic nicotine derivative accounts for 20-50%; and the synthetic nicotine is one or more of S-nicotine and a mixture of R-nicotine containing a racemate and S-nicotine. The synthetic nicotine, synthetic nicotine salt and synthetic nicotine derivative according to the present invention are proportionally mixed to prepare an existing synthetic nicotine product, which relieves the problem of the impact of impurities in natural extracted nicotine products causing an unpleasant smell, a bitter taste and a strong volatility, and can be used in the fields of low temperature heat-not-burn products, snuff, electronic cigarettes, nicotine release patches, insecticides, herbicides, microbicides, drug synthesis, etc.

A synthetic nicotine composition comprising synthetic nicotine, a synthetic nicotine salt and a synthetic nicotine derivative, wherein the synthetic nicotine, the synthetic nicotine salt, and the synthetic nicotine derivative are in mass percentage; the synthetic nicotine accounts for 1-20%, the synthetic nicotine salt accounts for 30-70%, and the synthetic nicotine derivative accounts for 20-50%; and the synthetic nicotine is one or more of S-nicotine and a mixture of R-nicotine containing a racemate and S-nicotine. The synthetic nicotine, synthetic nicotine salt and synthetic nicotine derivative according to the present invention are proportionally mixed to prepare an existing synthetic nicotine product, which relieves the problem of the impact of impurities in natural extracted nicotine products causing an unpleasant smell, a bitter taste and a strong volatility, and can be used in the fields of low temperature heat-not-burn products, snuff, electronic cigarettes, nicotine release patches, insecticides, herbicides, microbicides, drug synthesis, etc.

This invention relates to a method for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethyl esters of carboxylic acids. Said method consists of treating the biomass material with an oxidizing agent that is incorporated in an solution comprising one or more acids, one or more alcohols and water, and subsequently performing a catalytic reaction at a higher temperature using the same acidic solution into which a larger volume of alcohol is added, in such a way that the catalytic conversion occurs in a medium with a much higher concentration of alcohol, i.e. with a much higher alcohol-to-water wt ratio. Such a method results in relatively high yields of ethyl esters, such as ethyl esters of formic, acetic, and levulinic acids, while producing a low yield of dialkyl ethers, which are unwanted by-products. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the pre-treatment step is preferably higher than 6.0 wt %. The oxidizing agent is preferably a Fenton or Fenton-type reagent, and most preferably hydrogen peroxide activated by Fe (II), and/or Ti (IV) ions. The alcohol is preferably ethanol, and when ethanol is used, diethyl ether is formed as the unwanted dialkyl ether by-product. Preferably, the biomass material is pelleted before treatment.

This invention relates to a method for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethyl esters of carboxylic acids. Said method consists of treating the biomass material with an oxidizing agent that is incorporated in an solution comprising one or more acids, one or more alcohols and water, and subsequently performing a catalytic reaction at a higher temperature using the same acidic solution into which a larger volume of alcohol is added, in such a way that the catalytic conversion occurs in a medium with a much higher concentration of alcohol, i.e. with a much higher alcohol-to-water wt ratio. Such a method results in relatively high yields of ethyl esters, such as ethyl esters of formic, acetic, and levulinic acids, while producing a low yield of dialkyl ethers, which are unwanted by-products. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the pre-treatment step is preferably higher than 6.0 wt %. The oxidizing agent is preferably a Fenton or Fenton-type reagent, and most preferably hydrogen peroxide activated by Fe (II), and/or Ti (IV) ions. The alcohol is preferably ethanol, and when ethanol is used, diethyl ether is formed as the unwanted dialkyl ether by-product. Preferably, the biomass material is pelleted before treatment.

A carboxylic acid or sulfonic acid salt containing a plurality of carbonyl groups, and a surfactant represented by the following formula:

R.sup.1C(O)R.sup.2C(O)R.sup.3-A

wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are as defined herein, and A is COOX or SO.sub.3X, wherein X is H, a metal atom, NR.sup.4.sub.4, imidazolium optionally containing a substituent, pyridinium optionally containing a substituent, or phosphonium optionally containing a substituent, where R.sup.4s are each H or an organic group and are the same as or different from each other; and any two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 optionally bind to each other to form a ring.

A carboxylic acid or sulfonic acid salt containing a plurality of carbonyl groups, and a surfactant represented by the following formula:

R.sup.1C(O)R.sup.2C(O)R.sup.3-A

wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are as defined herein, and A is COOX or SO.sub.3X, wherein X is H, a metal atom, NR.sup.4.sub.4, imidazolium optionally containing a substituent, pyridinium optionally containing a substituent, or phosphonium optionally containing a substituent, where R.sup.4s are each H or an organic group and are the same as or different from each other; and any two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 optionally bind to each other to form a ring.

A synthetic nicotine composition comprising synthetic nicotine, a synthetic nicotine salt and a synthetic nicotine derivative, wherein the synthetic nicotine, the synthetic nicotine salt, and the synthetic nicotine derivative are in mass percentage; the synthetic nicotine accounts for 1-20%, the synthetic nicotine salt accounts for 30-70%, and the synthetic nicotine derivative accounts for 20-50%; and the synthetic nicotine is one or more of S-nicotine and a mixture of R-nicotine containing a racemate and S-nicotine. The synthetic nicotine, synthetic nicotine salt and synthetic nicotine derivative according to the present invention are proportionally mixed to prepare an existing synthetic nicotine product, which relieves the problem of the impact of impurities in natural extracted nicotine products causing an unpleasant smell, a bitter taste and a strong volatility, and can be used in the fields of low temperature heat-not-burn products, snuff, electronic cigarettes, nicotine release patches, insecticides, herbicides, microbicides, drug synthesis, etc.

A synthetic nicotine composition comprising synthetic nicotine, a synthetic nicotine salt and a synthetic nicotine derivative, wherein the synthetic nicotine, the synthetic nicotine salt, and the synthetic nicotine derivative are in mass percentage; the synthetic nicotine accounts for 1-20%, the synthetic nicotine salt accounts for 30-70%, and the synthetic nicotine derivative accounts for 20-50%; and the synthetic nicotine is one or more of S-nicotine and a mixture of R-nicotine containing a racemate and S-nicotine. The synthetic nicotine, synthetic nicotine salt and synthetic nicotine derivative according to the present invention are proportionally mixed to prepare an existing synthetic nicotine product, which relieves the problem of the impact of impurities in natural extracted nicotine products causing an unpleasant smell, a bitter taste and a strong volatility, and can be used in the fields of low temperature heat-not-burn products, snuff, electronic cigarettes, nicotine release patches, insecticides, herbicides, microbicides, drug synthesis, etc.

A method for producing a carbonyl compound represented by formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic group; R.sup.2 is hydrogen or an organic group; and R.sup.3 is hydrogen or an organic group; or two or three of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 may be linked to form a ring that may have at least one substituent, the method comprising step A of oxidizing an olefin compound represented by formula (2):

##STR00002##

wherein symbols are as defined above, by an oxidizing agent in the presence of (a) a non-alcohol organic solvent, (b) water, (c) a metal catalyst, and (d) an additive represented by the formula: MXn, wherein M is an element belonging to any one of Group 1, Group 2, Group 13, Group 14, and Group 15 in the periodic table, or NR.sub.4, wherein R is hydrogen or a C.sub.1-10 organic group; X is halogen; and n is a number of 1 to 5.