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Isomerization of Muconic Acid for the Production of Bio-based Terephthalic Acid
Category(s):
For Information, Contact:
OIC Commercialization Team
515-294-4740
licensing@iastate.edu
Web Published:
5/21/2018
ISURF #
4439
Summary:
Iowa State University researchers have developed a cost-effective method to isomerize cis-, cis-  and cis-, trans- muconic acid to trans-, trans-  muconic acid, which readily combines with acetylene via Diels-Alder reaction to create terepthalic acid.

Development Stage:
Description:
Polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) is one of the most abundantly-used thermoplastic polymers in use today, with end applications in clothing and packaging.  Most PET on the market today has little to no biorenewable content in it, but that content can be increased by utilizing terephthalic acid derived in part from glucose.  Iowa State University researchers have developed methods to isomerize cis-, cis- muconic acid (biologically produced from glucose by fermentation) to the trans-, trans-  isomer, which can readily be reacted with acetylene via Diels-Alder to from terephthalic acid.

ISURF #04439 describes a method to perform muconic acid isomerization with high selectivity and good conversion rates by heating the cis-, cis-  and/or cis-, trans- muconic acid in conjunction with DMSO or several salt solutions.  A benefit of this method is that the resulting isomer can be reacted with a Diels-Alder dienophile in DMSO without any purification or separation after the isomerization reaction.

Group:
Advantage:
• Increases the biorenewable content in PET
• Improved yield and selectivity versus commonly used iodine catalyzed method.

Application:
Plastics, Clothing, Packaging, Containers

Patent Information:
*To see the full version of the patent(s), follow the link below, then click on "Images" button.
Country Serial No. Patent No. Issued Date
United States 15/347,985 9,957,218* 5/1/2018


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