Synthesis of Levulinic Acid

Levulinic acid can be obtained from the residue (furfural residue) of cottonseed shell or corn cob after saccharaldehyde production or waste potato residue by hydrolyzing with dilute acid under pressure.

Add the glyoxal residue into 10% dilute hydrochloric acid, and the curing liquid is 1:1.75. After mixing evenly, put it into the hydrolysis pot.

Steam at 0.2MPa for 8-10h.

Then the dilute solution after hydrolysis is filtered; Concentrate to about 50% concentration.

Then the decompression rectification was carried out, and the finished product was obtained by collecting fractions above 130℃ (2.67kPa).

Raw material consumption quota: Standard Chartered sweet potato 7000kg/t; Hydrochloric acid (100%) 1800kg/t.

The other method consists of furfuryl alcohol rearranged; Obtained by hydrolysis.

Add 4% hydrochloric acid solution into the reaction pot, stir and heat to 97-100℃, slowly add furfuryl alcohol;

Ethanol; A mixture of water. Add and stir for another 30 minutes.

Filtrate was reduced pressure and concentrated at 80℃ (21.3kPa) to obtain crude levulinic acid.

Then vacuum distillation, 160-170℃ (2.67kPa) fractions are collected,

Then re-distillation, refining levulinic acid, yield about 75%.