Basic Organic Chemicals by Sucrose

Degradation of sucrose under elevated temperature and pressure conditions leads to a variety of chemical compounds either being known from petrochemicals or resembling petrochemicals in their structure having the potential of replacing non-renewables. Also, fermentation of sucrose leads to degradation products. The most important example is bioethanol. 

One example for a successful effort to utilize sucrose as feedstock for the manufacture of bulk organic chemicals is the production of green ethylene from sugar via bio-ethanol. In Brazil, the company Braskem has announced the first certified linear polyethylene in the world made from 100% renewable raw material and planned its production on a 200,000 mto scale for 2010. In a joint venture between SantelisaVale/Crystalsev and Dow Chemical the production of 350,000 mto of polyethylene is planned to start in 2011.  

Solvay Indupa announced the expansion of their manufacturing plant of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in Santo Andre (Brazil) to a total amount of 360,000 mto per year. Thereby for this capacity extension the required monomer feedstock vinyl chloride should also be based on bio-ethylene (based on bioethanol sourced from Copersucar) and thus finally on sucrose and salt.  

HMF is an example for a potential bulk chemical obtainable from sucrose. The chemical structure of HMF, at first glance, does not immediately allow the 

The upsealing of HMF synthesis was successfully executed in pilot plants.  

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