Large Scale Green Synthesis of 1,2,4-Butanetriol
Abstract
Escherichia coli W3110 was successfully modified to produce D-1,2,4-butanetriol (D-BT) in concentrations exceeding 10 g/L by conversion of D-xylose. The modified strain, E. coli WN13, was scaled from 1 L (bench scale) to 100 L (pilot scale) fermentor working volumes at MBI International. D-BT was isolated from fermentation broth by a succession of downstream unit operations, including: filtration, ion exchange, evaporation and distillation. Five-hundred milliliters of D-BT was collected and delivered to the Indian Head Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center for nitration and testing. "Green" D-BT was nitrated to D-1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate (D-BTTN) and formulations including this D-BTTN had comparable performance metrics as synthetic D-BTTN. An economic model was constructed to determine the efficacy of the current process and to provide direction for the green production of D-BT.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA466203
Entities
People
- Christopher Saffron
- John W. Frost