US 12,006,284 B2
Upgrading of fusel oils over doped alumina
Jonathan Smith, Highlands Ranch, CO (US)
Assigned to Gevo, Inc., Englewood, CO (US)
Filed by Gevo, Inc., Englewood, CO (US)
Filed on Feb. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/675,840.
Application 17/675,840 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/046931, filed on Aug. 19, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/889,787, filed on Aug. 21, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0234969 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. C07C 5/22 (2006.01); C07C 1/24 (2006.01)
CPC C07C 5/2213 (2013.01) [C07C 1/24 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
 
1. A process for converting fusel oils to renewable chemicals, the process comprising:
contacting a feed stream comprising the fusel oils with an alumina catalyst at a temperature from about 200° C. to about 500° C., and a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of at least 1.0, wherein the alumina catalyst comprises one or more of zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), or fluorine (F) in neutral or ionic form; and
forming the renewable chemicals, wherein the renewable chemicals comprise 2-methyl-2-butene in an amount of at least 50 wt. % yield;
wherein the fusel oils comprise ethanol, isobutanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, and 2-methyl-1-butanol, and wherein the 3 methyl-1-butanol is present in the fusel oils in an amount of about 40 wt. % to about 70 wt. %.