Avantium is developing a breakthrough technology to convert biomass into Furanics from carbohydrates. Hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) derivatives can now be obtained in high yields from hexose (sucrose, starch or cellulose) or cheap(er) raw materials which contain mixtures of pentoses and hexoses such as waste streams and lignocellulosics, and make very interesting building blocks for various applications. The most interesting building block for biopolymers derived from HMF/MMF is a molecule called furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). However for each ton of FDCA obtained, ~0.15-0.20 ton of methyl levulinate (ML) is produced as a side product. Avantium's proprietary technology is all based upon catalytic chemical processes hence our focus will be on the potential benefits of ML conversion into derivatives for a variety of industrial applications.Levulinic acid as well as ML can be used as building block for the production of many derivatives with a wide range of applications such as preservative in food industry and cosmetics (levulinate salts), in pharmaceuticals, as building blocks for ketals (plasticizers) and nylon intermediates, as fuel component/ additive (ML) as well as potential replacement for tetrahydrofuran (THF), a common organic solvent obtained by dehydration of petroleum derived 1,4 butandiol (by  renewable MTHF as ML derivative). In this presentation particular attention will be given to the technical and economical aspects to be taken into account for the production, use and commercialization of ML and its derivatives.

Insights in technical and economical aspects for sustainable production of methyl levulinate (ML) towards its commercialization

247th National Meeting (2014)

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