Title: The conversion of acetol during the concentration process from wood vinegar

Authors: Ze Wang, Weigang Lin, Wenli Song, Jianzhong Yao

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex System, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex System, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex System, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex System, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China

Abstract: Acetol, as one of the components of biomass pyrolysis liquid, is a high value-added compound for medicine synthesis. If acetol can be extracted from the renewable pyrolysis liquid, much environmental and economic benefit may be obtained; but the instability of acetol makes its concentration difficult. To clarify what compounds are formed from acetol during the distillation process, the components in different distillation systems were analysed and the mechanisms of the conversions were speculated on. It was found that acetol may undergo aldol self-condensation reactions followed by a series of intramolecular dehydrations to form five-ring or six-ring compounds.

Keywords: wood vinegar; pyrolysis oil; acetol conversion; concentration; biomass; aldol self-condensation; intramolecular dehydration; renewable resources; medicine synthesis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2009.029215

International Journal of Global Warming, 2009 Vol.1 No.4, pp.443 - 455

Published online: 10 Nov 2009 *

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