Integrated methods of preparing renewable chemicals

Abstract

Isobutene, isoprene, and butadiene are obtained from mixtures of C 4 and/or C 5 olefins by dehydrogenation. The C 4 and/or C 5 olefins can be obtained by dehydration of C 4 and C 5 alcohols, for example, renewable C 4 and C 5 alcohols prepared from biomass by thermochemical or fermentation processes. Isoprene or butadiene can be polymerized to form polymers such as polyisoprene, polybutadiene, synthetic rubbers such as butyl rubber, etc. in addition, butadiene can be converted to monomers such as methyl methacrylate, adipic acid, adiponitrile, 1,4-butadiene, etc. which can then be polymerized to form nylons, polyesters, polymethylmethacrylate etc.

1 . An integrated process for preparing renewable hydrocarbons, comprising:
 (a) providing renewable isobutanol and renewable ethanol;   (b) dehydrating the renewable isobutanol, thereby forming a renewable butene mixture comprising one or more renewable linear butenes and renewable isobutene;   (c) dehydrating the renewable ethanol, thereby forming renewable ethylene; and   (d) reacting at least a portion of the renewable butene mixture and at least a portion of the renewable ethylene to form one or more renewable C 3 -C 16  olefins.   
     
     
         2 - 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . The integrated process of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more renewable linear butenes comprise one or more of 1-butene, cis-2-butene or trans-2-butene. 
     
     
         59 . The integrated process of  claim 1 , wherein said reacting of step (d) comprises one or more reactions selected from the group consisting of disproportionation, metathesis, oligomerization, isomerization, alkylation, dehydrodimerization, dehydrocyclization, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         60 . The integrated process of  claim 1 , wherein said reacting of step (d) comprises disproportionating at least a portion of the renewable ethylene formed in step (c), and at least a portion of the renewable 2-butene formed in step (b) and renewable 2-butene formed by isomerizing the renewable isobutene formed in step (b), thereby forming renewable propylene. 
     
     
         61 . The integrated process of  claim 1 , further comprising reacting at least a portion of said renewable isobutene with formaldehyde to form isoprene. 
     
     
         62 . The integrated process of  claim 61 , wherein the formaldehyde comprises renewable formaldehyde. 
     
     
         63 . The integrated process of  claim 62 , wherein the isoprene comprises renewable isoprene. 
     
     
         64 . The integrated process of  claim 60 , further comprising dimerizing and dehydrocyclizing said renewable propylene to form renewable benzene. 
     
     
         65 . The integrated process of  claim 64 , further comprising reacting said renewable benzene with renewable propylene to form renewable cumene. 
     
     
         66 . The integrated process of  claim 65 , further comprising oxidizing said renewable cumene to form renewable cumene hydroperoxide. 
     
     
         67 . The integrated process of  claim 66 , further comprising reacting said renewable cumene hydroperoxide with renewable propylene to form renewable propylene oxide. 
     
     
         68 . The integrated process of  claim 66 , further comprising contacting said renewable cumene hydroperoxide with a catalyst to form a mixture comprising renewable acetone and renewable phenol. 
     
     
         69 . The integrated process of  claim 68 , wherein said catalyst comprises an acidic catalyst. 
     
     
         70 . The integrated process of  claim 68 , further comprising reacting at least a portion of said renewable acetone with at least a portion of said renewable phenol to provide renewable bisphenol A. 
     
     
         71 . The integrated process of  claim 1 , further comprising oxidizing at least a portion of said renewable isobutene, thereby forming a mixture comprising renewable methacrolein. 
     
     
         72 . The integrated process of  claim 71 , further comprising oxidizing at least a portion of said renewable methacrolein, thereby forming a mixture comprising renewable methacrylic acid. 
     
     
         73 . The integrated process of  claim 72 , further comprising reacting at least a portion of said renewable methacrylic acid with methanol, thereby forming methyl methacrylate. 
     
     
         74 . The integrated process of  claim 73 , wherein the methanol comprises renewable methanol. 
     
     
         75 . The integrated process of  claim 74 , wherein the methyl methacrylate comprises renewable methyl methacrylate. 
     
     
         76 . The integrated process of  claim 71 , further comprising combining said renewable methacrolein with methanol under oxidative conditions to form methyl methacrylate.