| abstract |
Disclosed is a method for thermochemically converting a carbohydrate material into ethanol wherein the carbohydrate material and a metal salt are reacted at elevated temperature to form an intermediate carbohydrate complex salt and/or a lactate metal salt which then is pyrolyzed in the presence of water into ethanol. Preferred carbohydrate materials for the process are various sugars and the metal salt preferably is a metal oxide, hydroxide, or carbonate. The intermediate complex and/or lactate salt may be separated from its aqueous reaction mixture prior to its pyrolysis to reduce the ultimate separation of ethanol from water. Alternatively, the metal of the metal salt may be one whose carbonate decomposes to metal oxide and carbon dioxide during the pyrolysis step of the process to generate said metal salt in situ. |