RECOVERING AND USING CARBOXYLIC ACIDS FROM A FERMENTATION BROTH

摘要

A process for recovering and using an carboxylic acid derived from a fermentation broth by means of making an ester of the free carboxylic acid and alcohol in carbon dioxide (CO2) without the presence of any other acid catalyst at a reaction temperature and pressure that corresponds to supercritical, critical or near critical conditions for the alcohol and/or CO2 is described. The process can constitute part of a general process of refining carboxylic acids derived from a fermentation broth for use in the production of a variety of chemical compounds, such as C4 platform compounds, polymers, or fuels.