Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This is in response to the Amendment dated March 19, 2026. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office Action.
Response to Amendment
Election/Restrictions
This application contains claims 8-10 (method) drawn to an invention nonelected with traverse in the reply filed on November 27, 2025. A complete reply to the final rejection must include cancellation of nonelected claims or other appropriate action. See MPEP § 821.01.
Specification
The disclosure has been objected to because of minor informalities.
The objection of the disclosure has been withdrawn in view of Applicant’s amendment.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-7 have been objected to because of minor informalities.
The objection of claims 1-7 has been withdrawn in view of Applicant’s amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 7 has been rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C.
112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The rejection of claim 7 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, has been withdrawn in view of Applicant’s amendment.
Continued Response
Claim Objections
Claims 1-7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1
line 2, please amend the word “a” to the word -- the --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Response to Arguments
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-7 are allowable. The restriction requirement between inventions, as set forth in the Office action mailed on October 10, 2025, has been reconsidered in view of the allowability of claims to the elected invention pursuant to MPEP § 821.04(a). The restriction requirement is hereby withdrawn as to any claim that requires all the limitations of an allowable claim.
Specifically, the restriction requirement of October 10, 2025 is not withdrawn because claims 8-
10, directed to a method of preparing 2-hydroxyadipic acid, remain withdrawn from consideration because they do not require all the limitations of an allowable claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 1-7 define over the prior art of record because the prior art does not contain any language that teaches or suggests a method of preparing 2-hydroxyadipic acid and adipic acid comprising a step of electrolyzing as presently claimed, esp., wherein the quaternary ammonium salt is represented by formula (I):
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194
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wherein R1 to R4 are independently a C2-5 hydrocarbon group, and X- is ClO4-, H2PO4-, or Br-.
Therefore, a person skilled in the art would not have been motivated to adopt the above conditions, and a prima facie case of obviousness cannot be established.
WO 2018/097725 does not teach a sulfuric acid solution containing a quaternary
ammonium salt wherein the quaternary ammonium salt is represented by formula (I).
Claims 1-7 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the claim objection(s) set forth in this Office action.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as
set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDNA WONG whose telephone number is (571) 272-1349. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM- 3:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Luan Van can be reached at (571) 272-8521. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDNA WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795