The potential of biorefineries to generate a wider collection of chemical feedstocks presently derived from petroleum is best visualized with biomethanol as the starting point (figure 8.3). Methanol obtained from the gasification of biomass (chapter 6, section 6.3.1) can be transformed by well-known purely chemical reactions to form, among many other chemicals:8

• Formaldehyde (CH2O) is used in the production of resins, textiles, cosmet­ics, fungicides, and others; formaldehyde accounted for 35% of the total worldwide production of methanol in the mid-1990s and is prepared by the oxidation of methanol with atmospheric O2 using a variety of catalysts.

• Acetic acid (CH3COOH) is a major acid in the food industry and as feed­stock for manufacturing syntheses, in the production of some plastics, fibers, and others; acetic acid is manufactured by the carbonylation of methanol with CO.

• Formic acid (HCOOH) is a preservative.

• Methyl esters of organic and inorganic acids are used as solvents and meth — ylation reagents and in the production of explosives and insecticides.

• Methylamines are precursors for pharmaceuticals.

• Trimethylphosphine is used in the preparation of pharmaceuticals, vita­mins, fine chemicals, and fragrances.

• Sodium methoxide is an organic intermediate and catalyst.

• Methyl halides are solvents, organic intermediates, and propellants.

• Ethylene is used for plastics and as an organic intermediate.