2 Alternative routes to more sustainable acrylonitrile: biosourced acrylonitrile
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Jean-Luc Dubois
Abstract
Acrylonitrile is an important chemical compound in the chemical industry. It has numerous applications such as in textiles, for carbon fibers, for plastics (e.g., acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and in water treatment (after conversion to acrylamide). The most common process to produce acrylonitrile is the propylene ammoxidation (oxidation of propylene in presence of ammonia), although recently propane ammoxidation was also implemented.
With the world looking for more sustainable supply of chemical compounds, alternative processes have been looked at to produce acrylonitrile. Alternative sources of propylene are to be considered as they would minimize the technology risks for the current acrylonitrile producers. Propylene can be produced not only from fossil feedstocks and biomass but also from recycled plastics. These alternatives will be considered and addressed.
The most promising route for biomass-derived acrylonitrile production remains so far the route using glycerol as a key intermediate. Glycerol is dehydrated to acrolein (propenaldehyde) which is then reacted with ammonia in the presence of oxygen. Glycerol can be produced not only as a coproduct of biodiesel or of the oleochemical industry, but also through selective hydrogenation of sugars, that is, splitting the intermediate sorbitol molecule into two fragments.
Acrylonitrile could also be produced through CO2 gas or sugar fermentation processes, leading to hydroxypropionamide, which can be further dehydrated to lead to acrylonitrile and/or acrylamide.
Other processes such as routes through propiolactone, hydroxypropionic or glutamic acids have also been discussed in this chapter.
Abstract
Acrylonitrile is an important chemical compound in the chemical industry. It has numerous applications such as in textiles, for carbon fibers, for plastics (e.g., acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) and in water treatment (after conversion to acrylamide). The most common process to produce acrylonitrile is the propylene ammoxidation (oxidation of propylene in presence of ammonia), although recently propane ammoxidation was also implemented.
With the world looking for more sustainable supply of chemical compounds, alternative processes have been looked at to produce acrylonitrile. Alternative sources of propylene are to be considered as they would minimize the technology risks for the current acrylonitrile producers. Propylene can be produced not only from fossil feedstocks and biomass but also from recycled plastics. These alternatives will be considered and addressed.
The most promising route for biomass-derived acrylonitrile production remains so far the route using glycerol as a key intermediate. Glycerol is dehydrated to acrolein (propenaldehyde) which is then reacted with ammonia in the presence of oxygen. Glycerol can be produced not only as a coproduct of biodiesel or of the oleochemical industry, but also through selective hydrogenation of sugars, that is, splitting the intermediate sorbitol molecule into two fragments.
Acrylonitrile could also be produced through CO2 gas or sugar fermentation processes, leading to hydroxypropionamide, which can be further dehydrated to lead to acrylonitrile and/or acrylamide.
Other processes such as routes through propiolactone, hydroxypropionic or glutamic acids have also been discussed in this chapter.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Foreword VII
- Contents XI
- List of contributing Authors XIII
- 1 Conversion of glycerol to acrylic acid 1
- 2 Alternative routes to more sustainable acrylonitrile: biosourced acrylonitrile 31
- 3 Biobased levulinic acid production 63
- 4 Fatty nitrile esters hydrogenation for biosourced polyamide polymers 77
- 5 Ni-free hydrogenation of natural products for the personal care industry: case study, squalene hydrogenation 115
- 6 High-performance hydraulic fluids from vegetable oils 139
- 7 Biomass valorization: bioethanol upgrading to butadiene 177
- 8 Biosourced polycarbonates 201
- 9 Organic cyclic carbonates synthesis under mild conditions 213
- 10 Biomass selective pyrolysis, bio-oil separation and products development: challenges and opportunities for green chemistry 247
- Index 279
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Foreword VII
- Contents XI
- List of contributing Authors XIII
- 1 Conversion of glycerol to acrylic acid 1
- 2 Alternative routes to more sustainable acrylonitrile: biosourced acrylonitrile 31
- 3 Biobased levulinic acid production 63
- 4 Fatty nitrile esters hydrogenation for biosourced polyamide polymers 77
- 5 Ni-free hydrogenation of natural products for the personal care industry: case study, squalene hydrogenation 115
- 6 High-performance hydraulic fluids from vegetable oils 139
- 7 Biomass valorization: bioethanol upgrading to butadiene 177
- 8 Biosourced polycarbonates 201
- 9 Organic cyclic carbonates synthesis under mild conditions 213
- 10 Biomass selective pyrolysis, bio-oil separation and products development: challenges and opportunities for green chemistry 247
- Index 279
