STRAATHOF ADRIANUS JOHANNES JOZEF (NL)
AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 10 April 2014 (10.04.2014) 1. A green process minimizing use of chemicals and energy for producing a carboxylate ester, from a renewable resource comprising the steps: providing a water soluble carboxylate, providing a transfer agent, removing water, if present, and providing a di-alkyl carbonate, reacting the carboxylate, transfer agent and di-alkyl carbonate thereby forming a di-alkyl ester of the carboxylate, and a carbonate, substantially in absence of water, wherein a liquid or solid anion exchanger comprises the transfer agent, and wherein the transfer agent comprises a (bi) carbonate species. 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the transfer agent is a positively charged transfer agent, wherein the transfer agent is supported on a solid or diluted in a suited liquid phase. 3. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the carboxylate is produced by biotransformation, wherein a pH of the medium is from 4- 10. 4. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the carboxylate is a mono-, di- or tri- carboxylate, and combinations thereof, 5. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein ester is a mono-, di- or tri ester. 6. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the di-alkyl carbonate comprises an alkyl selected from the group of C1-C12, and combinations thereof, 7. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the water soluble carboxylate comprises one or more of Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and combinations thereof. 8. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the water soluble carboxylate is sorbed by an anion exchanger, thereby forming an aqueous (bi) carbonate salt, and a complex of the carboxylate and transfer agent, wherein the (bi) carbonate salt solution is preferably recovered to be used in the production of the carboxylate. 9. A process according to claim 8, wherein the resin is dried, and thereafter the di-alkyl .carbonate is provided to the resin in order to form the ester, wherein the carbonate is provided to the transfer agent. 10. A process according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the ester is formed at a temperature of 20-140 °C, at a pressure of 80-900 kPa. 11. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the ester is purified. 12. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the carboxylate is purified. 13. A process according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the reacting is carried out as a solid-liquid, gas-solid or liquid-liquid reaction, preferably as a solid-liquid reaction. 14. A carboxylate ester obtainable by a process according to any of claim 1-13, preferably wherein the carboxylate is produced by biotransformation. |