SELECTIVE EXTRACTION AND CONVERSION OF A CELLULOSIC FEEDSTOCK TO ETHYLENE GLYCOL

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for selectively solubilizing and removing lignin and hemi-cellulose components of cellulosic biomass and obtaining a cellulosic feedstock having a higher proportion of cellulose, as compared to the biomass from which it is derived, and having a greater cellulose Crystallinity Index. In particular, the process comprises: i) contacting cellulosic biomass with a deep eutectic solvent (DES) formed from a mixture of a) a choline derivative selected from choline chloride, chlorocholine chloride, choline acetate, acetylcholine chloride or phosphatidyl choline; and b) an alpha-hydroxy carboxylic acid;and ii) obtaining a solid cellulosic feedstock which has a higher proportion of cellulose component, as compared with the cellulosic biomass from step i), wherein the majority of the cellulosic feedstock obtained in step ii) is obtained without regenerating cellulose by precipitation.