Importance

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Abstract

A process for converting levulinic acid into pentanoic acid, comprising the following steps: (a) supplying hydrogen and a feedstock comprising levulinic acid to a first catalytic zone comprising a strongly acidic catalyst and a hydrogenation metal; (b) converting, in the first catalytic zone, the levulinic acid at a temperature in the range of from 100 to 250° C. into gamma valerolactone to obtain a first effluent comprising gamma valerolactone; (c) supplying at least part of the first effluent to a second catalytic zone comprising a strongly acidic catalyst and a hydrogenation metal; and (d) converting, in the second catalytic zone, gamma valerolactone into pentanoic acid at a temperature in the range of from 200 to 350° C. to obtain a second effluent comprising pentanoic acid, wherein the conversion temperature in the first catalytic zone is lower than the conversion temperature in the second catalytic zone, and wherein the acidic catalyst and the hydrogenation metal in the first catalytic zone has the same composition as the acidic catalyst and the hydrogenation metal in the second catalytic zone.

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First Claim