The invention includes a diester exhibiting improved hydrolytic stability that is an esterification product of a 1-methylheptyl alcohol and a dicarboxylic acid. In some embodiments, the diester is bis(1-methyl heptyl) butanedioate, bis(1-methyl heptyl) nonanedioate and/or bis(1-methyl heptyl) decanedioate. The diester may be natural and/or not sourced from palm. Also contemplated within the scope of the invention are diesters exhibiting improved hydrolytic stability represented by Formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 is chosen from a linear alkyl group containing four to ten carbon atoms. Also included are personal care compositions comprising any of these diesters and methods of preparing a personal care composition using the inventive diesters, and/or methods of altering the tactile impression and/or skinfeel provided to a user by a personal care composition by combining any of the diesters of the invention and at least one personal care component to form a personal care composition; and topically applying the personal care composition to the hair, skin, and/or nails of a user.

In a process for the production of dialkyl succinate from a feedstock comprising maleic anhydride, feed in the liquid phase is provided to a reactor operated at a temperature of at least about 150° C. The feed is contacted with hydrogen at a pressure of at least about 300 psig in the presence of an acid tolerant catalyst and an alkanol wherein at least some of the carbon carbon double bonds of the maleic anhydride are hydrogenated to form succinic acid and that the heat generated promotes esterification to dialkyl succinate in situ. A stream of dialkyl succinate is recovered from the reactor.

In a process for the production of dialkyl succinate from a feedstock comprising maleic anhydride, feed in the liquid phase is provided to a reactor operated at a temperature of at least about 150° C. The feed is contacted with hydrogen at a pressure of at least about 300 psig in the presence of an acid tolerant catalyst and an alkanol wherein at least some of the carbon carbon double bonds of the maleic anhydride are hydrogenated to form succinic acid and that the heat generated promotes esterification to dialkyl succinate in situ. A stream of dialkyl succinate is recovered from the reactor.

A process for production of dialkyl succinate from bio-succinic acid feedstock where solid bio-succinic acid is fed to a reactor to react with alkanol by autocatalytic esterification. Products from the reactor including unreacted succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, alkanol, water and impurities are sent to a reaction distillation column for esterification of succinic acid and further esterification of mono alkyl ester with upflowing alkanol. The bottoms products from the reaction distillation column including residual succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, impurities and alkanol are sent to a bottoms stream separation zone where di-alkyl ester is separated from alkanol, succinic acid, mono alkyl ester and impurities. The tops products from the reaction distillation column including alkanol, water and organic components are sent to a top stream distillation zone where alkanol is separated from water and organic components. The organic components are recycled to the reaction zone column.

A process for production of dialkyl succinate from bio-succinic acid feedstock where solid bio-succinic acid is fed to a reactor to react with alkanol by autocatalytic esterification. Products from the reactor including unreacted succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, alkanol, water and impurities are sent to a reaction distillation column for esterification of succinic acid and further esterification of mono alkyl ester with upflowing alkanol. The bottoms products from the reaction distillation column including residual succinic acid, mono alkyl ester, dialkyl ester, impurities and alkanol are sent to a bottoms stream separation zone where di-alkyl ester is separated from alkanol, succinic acid, mono alkyl ester and impurities. The tops products from the reaction distillation column including alkanol, water and organic components are sent to a top stream distillation zone where alkanol is separated from water and organic components. The organic components are recycled to the reaction zone column.

The invention relates to a process for continuously preparing di-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinates by reacting succinic acid with an C.sub.1-3-alkanol in the presence of a fixed-bed heterogeneous acidic esterification catalyst in a tubular reactor at a temperature in the range of from 60 to 100° C., wherein a mixture, comprising succinic acid, C.sub.1-3-alkanol, mono-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinate, di-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinate and water, is formed in a mixing stage and fed to the entrance of the tubular reactor, and wherein 5 to 75% of the outlet flow rate of the tubular reactor are recycled directly to the mixing stage as a recycle stream, and the molar ratio of C.sub.1-3-alkanol to succinic acid added to the mixing zone, and not including the C.sub.1-3-alkanol and succinic acid at the recycle stream, being in the range of from 2.0 to 9.5. The invention furthermore relates to a process for separating the reactor effluent of an esterification of succinic acid with an C.sub.1-3-alkanol to give di-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinates by distillation, wherein the separation is performed in a divided wall column in which C.sub.1-3-alkanol and water are removed in a top draw of the column, di-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinate is removed in a side draw of the column, and wherein mono-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinate and succinic acid are removed in a bottom draw of the column.

The invention relates to a process for continuously preparing di-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinates by reacting succinic acid with an C.sub.1-3-alkanol in the presence of a fixed-bed heterogeneous acidic esterification catalyst in a tubular reactor at a temperature in the range of from 60 to 100° C., wherein a mixture, comprising succinic acid, C.sub.1-3-alkanol, mono-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinate, di-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinate and water, is formed in a mixing stage and fed to the entrance of the tubular reactor, and wherein 5 to 75% of the outlet flow rate of the tubular reactor are recycled directly to the mixing stage as a recycle stream, and the molar ratio of C.sub.1-3-alkanol to succinic acid added to the mixing zone, and not including the C.sub.1-3-alkanol and succinic acid at the recycle stream, being in the range of from 2.0 to 9.5. The invention furthermore relates to a process for separating the reactor effluent of an esterification of succinic acid with an C.sub.1-3-alkanol to give di-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinates by distillation, wherein the separation is performed in a divided wall column in which C.sub.1-3-alkanol and water are removed in a top draw of the column, di-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinate is removed in a side draw of the column, and wherein mono-C.sub.1-3-alkyl succinate and succinic acid are removed in a bottom draw of the column.

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.

The disclosure relates to cannabinoid derivative compounds, pharmaceutical compositions made thereof, and methods for treating various diseases and disorders including cancer.