Size-Selective Catalytic Process for the Conversion of Sorbitol to Isosorbide

Although catalysis has been identified as an important technology, it has only been modestly applied to the production of useful chemicals from biomass. To address this deficiency, this project will develop a new catalytic process to selectively convert sorbitol (a natural sugar produced by wet corn milling) into isosorbide (a useful monomer that can be copolymerized with ethylenethrephthalate) to form useful rigid plastics that could replace glass in hot-fill applications. The proposed process will take advantage of recent developments in nanostructured catalysts, which have demonstrated remarkable selectivity for certain low temperature chemical reactions. In Phase I, batches of the size selective catalyst will be produced, batch reaction experiments will be performed, and the reaction kinetics and product selectivity (for isosorbide) will be evaluated. Batch reaction data will be used to design a continuous chemical production process. Finally, an engineering and economic analysis, for the production of isosorbide from sorbitol using the new catalyst, will be conducted. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Low cost isosorbide, made from processed corn, should find application as a co-monomer that can be used with ethylene terephthalate to form rigid plastic containers. Such rigid containers could be used in hot-fill applications, where currently only glass bottles are used. The market for isosorbide is 100 to 300 million pounds annually