PRODUCTION OF MALEIC ANHYDRIDE FROM A FERMENTATION FEEDSTOCK

RENEWABLE RESOURCES OFTEN POSSESS LESS INTRINSIC FUNCTIONALITY AS COMPARED WITH CHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS OBTAINED FROM FOSSIL FUELS. ONE PARTICULAR FUNCTIONALITY OF SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL INTEREST IS THE PRESENCE OF UNSATURATION, OR, MORE SPECIFICALLY, CARBON-CARBON DOUBLE BONDS. THE COMMODITY OXYCHEMICAL MALEIC ANHYDRIDE IS TO BE PRODUCED FROM A FERMENTATION-DERIVED FEEDSTOCK AS AN EXAMPLEOF DEHYDROGENATION THAT FORMS SUCH DOUBLE BONDS. AN EFFICIENT, ECONOMIC PROCESS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO PRODUCE SUCCINIC ACID BY FERMENTATION OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES. PHASEI RESEARCH AIMS TO DEVELOP A CHEMICAL CATALYTIC PROCESS FOR DEHYDROGENATION OF SUCCINIC ANHYDRIDE TO MALEIC ANHYDRIDE. WHILE IMPORTANT FOR PRODUCTION OF MALEIC ANHYDRIDE, THE TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED SHOULD ALSO HAVE APPLICATIONS IN OTHER COMMERCIALLY VIABLE CHEMICAL PROCESSES.