Challenges in Catalytic Manufacture of Renewable Pyrrolidinones from Fermentation Derived Succinate

• Published in: Topics in catalysis Vol. 57; no. 17-20; pp. 1325 - 1334
• Main Authors: White, James F., Holladay, Johnathan E., Zacher, Allan A., Frye, John G., Werpy, Todd A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-11-2014
• Subjects: Catalysis; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Original Paper; Pharmacy; Physical Chemistry; Succinic acid; Methyl-2-pyrrolidinone; 2-pyrrolidinone; Methyl succimide; Hydrogenation; Renewable resources
• ISSN: 1022-5528; 1572-9028
• DOI: 10.1007/s11244-014-0299-z

Fermentation derived succinic acid ammonium salt is an ideal precursor for manufacture of renewable
N
-methyl pyrrolidinone (NMP) or 2-pyrrolidinone (2P) via heterogeneous catalysis. However, there are many challenges to making this a practical reality. Chief among the challenges is avoiding catalyst poisoning by fermentation by- and co-products. Battelle/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed an effective technology strategy for this purpose. The technology is a combination of purely thermal processing, followed by simple catalytic hydrogenation that together avoids catalyst poisoning from fermentation impurities and provides high selectivity and yields of NMP or 2P.