摘要 |
A process for converting levulinic acid into pentanoic acid, the process comprising the following steps: (a) contacting a feedstock comprising levulinic acid under hydrogenating conditions, in the presence of hydrogen, with a non-acidic heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst comprising a hydrogenation metal supported on a solid catalyst carrier to obtain a first effluent comprising gamma valerolactone; (b) contacting at least part of the first effluent under hydrogenating conditions, in the presence of hydrogen, with a strongly acidic catalyst and a hydrogenation metal to obtain a second effluent comprising pentanoic acid, wherein step (b) is operated at a conversion per pass of at most 70 wt % to obtain the second effluent comprising pentanoic acid and unconverted gamma valerolactone, and wherein part of the unconverted gamma valerolactone is recycled to step (a) and/or step (b). |