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US3954497A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Hydrolysis of deciduous wood

Assignee: Sued Chemie AG
•
Filing: 1974-11-13
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Granted: 1976-05-04
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Expires: 1994-11-13
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Abstract

Abstract A process for the hydrolysis of deciduous wood wherein the hydrolysis is carried out in a first stage with an alkali metal hydroxide solution of concentration less than 4 percent by weight and in a second stage with mineral acid. A resulting product, D-(+)-xylose, can be recovered as such or converted directly to xylitol. The process also provides for the convenient recovery of lignin and cellulose present in the wood.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hermann Friese

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 18:44
CPC Classifications
D; D21; D21C; D21C5/00; C; C13; C13K; C13K13/00; C13K13/002

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 102 words
A process for the hydrolysis of deciduous wood which comprises: a. hydrolyzing deciduous wood with an alkali metal hydroxide solution having a concentration of less than 4 percent by weight, to provide a deciduous wood from which the chemically bound acetic acid therein has been substantially completely removed, said acetic acid being then present in solution as alkali metal acetate; b. recovering the deciduous wood from which the chemically bound acetic acid has been substantially removed; and c. hydrolyzing the deciduous wood of step (b) with a mineral acid to provide a solid residue containing lignin and an acidic solution of D-(+)-xylose.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 102 words
A process for the hydrolysis of deciduous wood which comprises: a. hydrolyzing deciduous wood with an alkali metal hydroxide solution having a concentration of less than 4 percent by weight, to provide a deciduous wood from which the chemically bound acetic acid therein has been substantially completely removed, said acetic acid being then present in solution as alkali metal acetate; b. recovering the deciduous wood from which the chemically bound acetic acid has been substantially removed; and c. hydrolyzing the deciduous wood of step (b) with a mineral acid to provide a solid residue containing lignin and an acidic solution of D-(+)-xylose.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 56 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the solid residue containing lignin is separated from the acidic solution of D-(+)-xylose, the residue is extracted with organic solvent to remove the lignin therefrom and the remaining residue is at elevated temperature first treated with alkali metal chlorite, followed by treatment with alkali metal hydroxide solution to provide cellulose.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the D-(+)-xylose present in the acid solution of step (c) is recovered therefrom in substantially pure form.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 42 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the said employed in hydrolysis step (c) is sulphuric acid, the acidic solution of D-(+)-xylose is neutralized with calcium oxide, calcium carbonate or barium carbonate and the xylose is thereafter reduced in situ to provide xylitol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the xylitol is recovered from solution in substantially pure form.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the lignin-containing residue is extracted with methanol or acetone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the lignin is recovered from the extract solution thereof in substantially pure form.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein hydrolysis step (a) is carried out with a solution of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or combination thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the solution is an aqueous solution.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein hydrolysis step (a) is carried out with an alkali metal hydroxide solution of less than 3 percent by weight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the alkali metal hydroxide solution is 0.5 to 2 percent by weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein hydrolysis step (a) is carried out in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 28 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of about 10 percent by weight based on the dry weight of the wood.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 26 words
The process of claim 1 wherein hydrolysis step (a) is carried out at room temperature up to the boiling point of the alkali metal hydroxide solution.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 16 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the alkali metal chlorite is sodium chlorite or potassium chlorite.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 25 words
The process of claim 2 wherein an alkali metal chlorite solution having an alkali metal chlorite concentration up to 12 percent by weight is employed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the alkali metal chlorite concentration of said chlorite solution is 10 percent by weight.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process of claim 2 wherein an alkali metal chlorite solution having a pH of 3 to 5, at a temperature of 60° to 75°C. is employed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 10 words
The process of claim 18 wherein the pH is 3.5.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of claim 2 wherein a 2 to 4 percent by weight alkali metal hydroxide solution is employed.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process of claim 20 wherein a 2.4 percent by weight solution is employed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the treatment with alkali metal hydroxide solution is carried out at 60° to 75°C.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 38 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of alkali metal hydroxide solution is such as to provide from about 1.33 to 2 mols of alkali metal hydroxide per mol of acetic acid chemically bonded in the wood.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2801955A Cited
US2835611A Cited
US3212933A Cited
US3251716A Cited
US3787241A Cited
US3565687A Cited
US3784408A Cited
US3817826A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-05-04 1979-11-03 1980-05-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-05-04 1983-11-03 1984-05-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-05-04 1987-11-03 1988-05-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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