INTEGRATED METHODS OF PREPARING RENEWABLE CHEMICALS

ISOBUTENE, ISOPRENE, AND BUTADIENE ARE OBTAINED FROM MIXTURES OF C₄ AND/OR C₅ OLEFINS BY DEHYDROGENATION. THE C₄ AND/OR C₅ OLEFINS CAN BE OBTAINED BY DEHYDRATION OF C₄ AND C₅ ALCOHOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, RENEWABLE C₄ AND C₅ ALCOHOLS PREPARED FROM BIOMASS BY THERMOCHEMICAL OR FERMENTATION PROCESSES. ISOPRENE OR BUTADIENE CAN BE POLYMERIZED TO FORM POLYMERS SUCH AS POLYISOPRENE, POLYBUTADIENE, SYNTHETIC RUBBERS SUCH AS BUTYL RUBBER, ETC. IN ADDITION, BUTADIENE CAN BE CONVERTED TO MONOMERS SUCH AS METHYL METHACRYLATE, ADIPIC ACID, ADIPONITRILE, 1,4-BUTADIENE, ETC. WHICH CAN THEN BE POLYMERIZED TO FORM NYLONS, POLYESTERS, POLYMETHYLMETHACRYLATE ETC.