Process for producing glycolic acid from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide

US7939303B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY · US

Inventors

• Robert DiCosimo · Chadds Ford, US
• Anna Panova · Hockessin, US
• Jeffery Scott Thompson · Wilmington, US
• Robert D. Fallon · Elkton, US
• F. Glenn Gallagher · Wilmington, US
• Thomas Foo · Rockville, US
• Xu Li · 林湖乡, CN
• George C. Fox · Wilmington, US
• Joseph J. Zaher · Newark, US
• Mark S. Payne · Wilmington, US
• Daniel P. O'Keefe · Swarthmore, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 12, 2008
• Grant date: May 10, 2011
• Expiry date: Dec 1, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12P7/42
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process is provided for producing glycolic acid from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide. More specifically, heat-treated formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide are reacted to produce glycolonitrile having low concentrations of impurities. The glycolonitrile is subsequently converted to an aqueous solution of ammonium glycolate using an enzyme catalyst having nitrilase activity derived from Acidovorax facilis 72W (ATCC 57746). Glycolic acid is recovered in the form of the acid or salt from the aqueous ammonium glycolate solution using a variety of methods described herein.