Processes And Systems For Catalytic Manufacture Of Wax Ester Derivatives
Patent No. US12281350 (titled "Processes And Systems For Catalytic Manufacture Of Wax Ester Derivatives") was filed by Cargill Inc on Jan 26, 2023.
What is this patent about?
’350 is related to the field of processing wax esters , specifically focusing on transesterification methods. Wax esters, formed from fatty acids and fatty alcohols, are found in plants like jojoba and are used in cosmetics. Conventional transesterification, which alters the physical properties of these esters, often relies on chemical catalysts, but these can lead to undesirable side reactions and degradation of valuable components.
The underlying idea behind ’350 is to use lipase enzymes as catalysts for transesterifying wax esters. This enzymatic approach avoids the harsh conditions and side reactions associated with chemical catalysts. By using lipases, the process can be carried out at lower temperatures and ambient pressure, preserving beneficial components like antioxidants and sterols present in the original feedstock.
The claims of ’350 focus on a process involving contacting a feedstock containing jojoba wax esters and hydrogenated jojoba wax esters with a lipase enzyme catalyst. The reaction yields enzymatically transesterified wax esters while retaining the feedstock's tocopherol (a form of Vitamin E) and, importantly, without producing free fatty alcohols.
In practice, the enzymatic transesterification can be performed in a continuous reactor system, where the wax ester feedstock passes through one or more reactors containing the lipase. The lipase can be immobilized on a substrate to facilitate contact with the feedstock. This continuous processing offers advantages over batch processing. The resulting transesterified product retains the beneficial components of the original feedstock and exhibits improved oxidative stability.
This enzymatic approach differentiates itself from traditional chemical methods by preserving the natural antioxidants and other volatile compounds present in the wax ester feedstock. Unlike chemical processes that often degrade these components, the lipase-catalyzed reaction maintains their functionality. Furthermore, the enzymatic process avoids the formation of undesirable byproducts like fatty acid methyl esters and free fatty alcohols, leading to a purer and more stable transesterified product with enhanced properties.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2010s when ’350 was filed, chemical and enzymatic processes were often optimized for specific feedstocks, at a time when achieving high yields and purity in transesterification reactions was typically implemented using careful control of reaction conditions and catalyst selection. At this time, maintaining the integrity of sensitive components within a feedstock during processing was a non-trivial engineering constraint.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The application was a continuation of a previously issued patent. The claims were amended during prosecution. The examiner initially rejected some claims for anticipation, obviousness, indefiniteness, and improper dependency. The applicant submitted arguments and amended the claims to overcome these rejections. The examiner withdrew rejections based on prior art and double patenting after claim amendments and terminal disclaimers were filed. The application proceeded to a final rejection. Claims 1-4, 21, 22, 24, and 25 were allowed.
Claims
This patent contains 14 claims, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a process for preparing enzymatically transesterified wax esters using a lipase enzyme catalyst with a feedstock comprising jojoba wax esters, hydrogenated jojoba wax esters, and feedstock tocopherol. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the composition of the feedstock, the characteristics of the product, the type of lipase enzyme catalyst, and the nature of the reaction step.
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US12281350
- Application Number
- US18159735
- Filing Date
- Jan 26, 2023
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Dec 19, 2034
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents