RENEWABLE XYLENES PRODUCED FROM BIOLOGICAL C4 AND C5 MOLECULES

摘要

The present invention is directed to a method for preparing renewable and relatively high purity p-xylene from biomass, and from C5 molecules in particular. For example, biomass treated to provide a fermentation feedstock is fermented with a microorganism capable of producing a C5 alcohol such as 3-methyl-1-butanol, followed by dehydration to provide a C5 alkene such as 3-methyl-1-butanol, forming one or more C8 olefins such as 2, 5-dimethyl-3-hexene via metathesis, then dehydrocyclizing the C8 olefins in the presence of a dehydrocyclization catalyst to selectively form renewable p-xylene with high overall yield.