Biocell - Biofuel containing mixtures of isomers of alkyl glucose or their hydrogenation product and its production process from cellulose or starch using as a solvent a mixture of an alkyl alcohol, an ionic liquid immiscible with water and hydrochloric acid

Abstract

Biofuel containing mixtures of isomers of alkyl glucose in the linear form, pyran or furan forms, as well as their hydrogenation products. Methyl cellulose may contain one to four methyl groups substituting hydrogen atoms in the original hydroxyl groups contained in glucose, the monomer of cellulose. Its production process from cellulose or starch uses in the first step, as a solvent, a mixture of alkyl alcohol, an ionic liquid immiscible with water like trioctyl amine, tributylamine or their mixtures as hydrochlorides and hydrochloric acid. In the second step, after the methanolysis of cellulose and the methylation of glucose catalysed by the acid, the methyl glucose molecules are separated by extraction with water. Water is evaporated and the biofuel, alkyl cellulose, is obtained and identified by elemental analysis, NMR and FT-IR. As an option, alkyl glucose is hydrogenated and converted in dimethyl tetrahydrofuran, which is a gasoline component.

1 . A biofuel containing mixtures of isomers of alkyl glucose or their hydrogenation product dimethyl tetrahydrofuran and its production process from cellulose or starch using as a solvent a mixture of alkyl alcohol, an ionic liquid immiscible with water and hydrochloric acid, followed by an extraction with water, an evaporation and as an option an hydrogenation. 
     
     
         2 . In the product of  claim 1  where the alkyl glucose contains a methyl, ethyl, propyl or buthyl group and the number of hydroxyls of glucose which react with the alkyl alcohol can be one to four. 
     
     
         3 . In the process of  claim 1  where the ionic liquids are trialkyl amines hydrochlorides or their mixtures and where the alkyl groups contain 1 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably 4 and 8 in proportions of 1 of the tributylamine to 2 until 10 of the trioctyl amine. 
     
     
         4 . In the process of  claim 1  where the alcohol mixed with the ionic liquid is an alkyl alcohol with a number of carbon atoms from 1 to 10, preferably one carbon atom and where the proportion of alcohol to ionic liquid may vary from 1% to 30%, which can be added at the start of the reaction or in small rates during the reaction. 
     
     
         5 . In the process of  claim 1  where the amount of hydrochloric acid 37% added to the ionic liquid is 1% to 15%. 
     
     
         6 . In the process of  claim 1  where the reaction time is 20 minutes to 180 minutes and the temperature 150 to 250° C. 
     
     
         7 . In the process of  claim 1  where before extraction of the ionic liquid reaction phase with water, the ionic liquid reaction phase is mixed with a dialkyl ether to improve the partition coefficients and reduce viscosity, where preferably the ether is diethyl, diisopropyl or dibutyl ether or their mixtures. 
     
     
         8 . In the process of  claim 1  where the water extracts are concentrated by evaporation. 
     
     
         9 . In the process of  claim 1  where the alkyl glucose biofuel is added directly to diesel oil, or with the addition of an alkyl alcohol to make mixing easier, where the alcohol may contain 1 to 6 carbon atoms 
     
     
         10 . In the process of  claim 1  where the alkyl glucose is hydrogenated by well known processes to dimethyl tetrahydrofuran, which is used as a gasoline component and not as a diesel component.