Solid acid catalysts waste minimization

The use of the described solid acid catalysts helps to minimize waste of production, as it reduces the amount of salts formed upon neutralization of the former used liquid acids. Furthermore, when selectivity is increased as in the synthesis of bisphenol-A, the use of the Deloxan catalyst results in a better (i.e. higher) utilization of the raw material. Altogether, it is seen that improvements of the catalysts as described in this contribution are a significant contribution to the further development of the currently needed ecology-minded processes. 

Over time the operating efficiency of hydrofluoric acid alkylation units has improved in order to minimize waste streams as well as minimize the actual hydrofluoric acid inventory. However, the only way to eliminate these issues completely is to develop a process based on a heterogeneous acid catalyst. Such a process would eliminate the hydrofluoric acid transportation and inventory, result in no waste polymer product, and would not require fluoride scrubbing and concomitant disposal of fluoride-containing solids. 

Renewable raw materials can contribute to the sustainability of chemical products in two ways (i) by developing greener, biomass-derived products which replace existing oil-based products, e.g. a biodegradable plastic, and (ii) greener processes for the manufacture of existing chemicals from biomass instead of from fossil feedstocks. These conversion processes should, of course, be catalytic in order to maximize atom efficiencies and minimize waste (E factors) but they could be chemo- or biocatalytic, e.g. fermentation [3-5]. Even the chemocatalysts themselves can be derived from biomass, e.g. expanded com starches modified with surface S03H or amine moieties can be used as recyclable solid acid or base catalysts, respectively [6]. 

Environmentally benign synthesis routes for umbelliferone (I), 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (II), 3,4-dihydrocoumarin (III), and tricyclic coumarin (IV) (Figure 10.2) were developed using zeolite-H-p or Amberlyst-15 as solid catalysts. This resulted in the minimization of harmful mineral acid wastes. The reactions of resorcinol with acrylic acid, propynoic acid, and ethyl acetoacetate were investigated in toluene and p-chlorotoluene under reflux conditions to obtain coumarins in 60%-80% yield (Hoefnagel et al. 1995 Gunnewegh et al. 1995). 

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