4439

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.

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.

This technology is related to ISURF 4402: Electrochemical Isomerization of Muconic Acid

• Increases the biorenewable content in PET

• Improved yield and selectivity versus commonly used iodine catalyzed method.

Plastics, Clothing, Packaging, Containers