A process for producing furan dicarboxylic acid or an ester thereof from a feedstock comprising hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) and humins is disclosed. Humins are a byproduct from reactions forming HMF from sugars and are typically removed from the HMF prior to any further processing. A humins-containing HMF feedstock is utilized to produce furan dicarboxylic acids and ester substantially free from humins.

A method for the reduction organic molecules comprising a Ruthenium-Triphosphine complex with aromatic ligands at the phosphors which are ortho or meta substituted.

Provided herein is a process for preparing furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid. The process includes the following steps: (A-1) preparing a starting mixture comprising one, two or more carbohydrate compounds selected from the group consisting of: hexoses, oligosaccharides comprising hexose units, and polysaccharides including hexose units, and as a solvent or as a co-solvent for the carbohydrate compounds an amount of one or more carboxylic acid esters of a formula (II) and (A-2) subjecting the starting mixture to reaction conditions so that at least one of the one, two or more carbohydrate compounds reacts, and a fraction of the amount of one or more carboxylic acid esters of formula (II) is hydrolyzed, resulting in a mixture including 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural and/or the one or more HMF esters of a formula (I), one or more carboxylic acids of a formula (III) and a remaining fraction of the amount of one or more carboxylic acid esters of formula (II).

The invention relates to a novel process for the conversion of a feedstock comprising at least one sugar to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, in which said feedstock is contacted with one or more catalysts of the family of the homogeneous sulphonic acids in the presence of at least one aprotic polar solvent, used alone or in a mixture, at a temperature comprised between 30 C. and 200 C., and at a pressure comprised between 0.1 MPa and 10 MPa in which said catalysts are selected from the compounds of general formula ##STR00001##

Disclosed is a process to produce a purified vapor comprising dialkyl-furan-2,5-dicarboxylate (DAFD). Furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and an alcohol in an esterification zone to generate a crude diester stream containing dialkyl furan dicarboxylate (DAFD), unreacted alcohol, 5-(alkoxycarbonyl)furan-2-carboxylic acid (ACFC), and alkyl furan-2-carboxylate (AFC). The esterification zone comprises at least one reactor that has been previously used in an DMT process.

Provided herein are methods of producing halomethylfuroic and acyloxymethylfuroic acid and ester compounds from furfural starting compounds. For example, 5-chloromethyl-2-furoic acid may be produced from 5-chloromethylfurfural, in the presence of various oxidants. Salts of the furoic acids may also be produced.

A process for preparing furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid is disclosed. The process includes the following steps: preparing or providing a starting mixture including 5-(hydroxy-methyl)furfural (HMF), 5,5-[oxy-bis(methylene)]bis-2-furfural (di-HMF), and water; subjecting said starting mixture to oxidation conditions in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas and a catalytically effective amount of a heterogeneous catalyst including one or more noble metals on a support so that both HMF and di-HMF react to give furane-2,5-dicarboxylic acid in a product mixture also including water and oxidation by-products. The use of a catalyst is also disclosed, the catalyst including one or more noble metals on a support as an heterogeneous oxidation catalyst for catalyzing in an aqueous starting mixture the reaction of both HMF and di-HMF to furane-2,5-dicarboxylic acid.

Gamma-valerolactone is prepared from a levulinic acid ester in a continuous process where a stream of the levulinic acid ester together with a gaseous stream of a hydrogen-containing gas is contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst, where the levulinic acid ester is in the liquid phase, and where the hydrogenation catalyst is a solid particulate catalyst including at least one hydrogenating metal, supported on an oxide carrier.

Provided herein are (phenylene)dialkanamines, and methods of producing such (phenylene)dialkanamines from various furanyl and benzyl compounds. Such furanyl compounds may include, for example, bis(nitroalkyl)furans, bis(aminoalkyl)furans, and nitroalkyl(furan)acetonitriles. Such compounds may include, for example, bis(nitroalkyl)benzenes. Provided herein are also alkyldiamines, and methods for producing such alkyldiamines from furanyl compounds.

Improved methods of making anhydrosugars by pyrolysis of a substrate sugar to remove at least one water molecule thereby producing a desired anhydrosugar and side products, the improvement being either 1) protecting one hydroxyl group of the substrate sugar before pyrolysis; or (2) pretreating the substrate sugar with a metal salt and optional acid before pyrolysis, wherein lower amounts of said side products are produced by said improved method.