Polycarboxylic acids and alkali metal salts thereof from carbohydrates

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS INCLUDING: CHARRING CARBOHYDRATE MATERIALS HAVING AT LEAST FIVE CARBONS PER SUGAR UNIT IN THE MOLECULE, WITH AN ACID SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SULFURIC ACID, SULFUR TRIOXIDE, AND HYDROCHLORIDE ACID IN AMOUNT APPROXIMATING ONE-HALF PART TO ABOUT ONE AND ONE-HALF PARTS BY WEIGHT OF ACID ON A WATER-FREE BASIS PER PART OF CARBOHYDRATE, SUCH CHARRING TAKNIG PLACE AT CHARRING TEMPERATURES HELD BELOW ABOUT 350*F. TO YIELD A BLACK RESIN-LIKE PRODUCT WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE IN BOILING ALKAL METAL HYDROXIDE SOLUATIONS, BUT REACTS WITH AND BECOMES SOLUBLE IN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDES AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE ABOUT 450*F. TO YIELD WATER-SOLUBLE ALKALI METAL SALTS OF POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS; AND DIGESTING SAID RESIN-LIKE CHAR WITH ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE ABOUT 450*F. AND THEREBY FROMING ALKALI METAL SALTS OF ASID POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS INCLUDING: CHARRING CARBOHYDRATE MATERIALS HAVING AT LEAST FIVE CARBONS PER SUGAR UNIT IN THE MOLECULE, WITH AN ACID SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SULFURIC ACID, SULFUR TRIOXIDE, AND HYDROCHLORIDE ACID IN AMOUNT APPROXIMATING ONE-HALF PART TO ABOUT ONE AND ONE-HALF PARTS BY WEIGHT OF ACID ON A WATER-FREE BASIS PER PART OF CARBOHYDRATE, SUCH CHARRING TAKNIG PLACE AT CHARRING TEMPERATURES HELD BELOW ABOUT 350*F. TO YIELD A BLACK RESIN-LIKE PRODUCT WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE IN BOILING ALKAL METAL HYDROXIDE SOLUATIONS, BUT REACTS WITH AND BECOMES SOLUBLE IN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDES AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE ABOUT 450*F. TO YIELD WATER-SOLUBLE ALKALI METAL SALTS OF POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS; AND DIGESTING SAID RESIN-LIKE CHAR WITH ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE ABOUT 450*F. AND THEREBY FROMING ALKALI METAL SALTS OF ASID POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS.