The need to increase the portion of renewables in the Chemical Industry is an urgent task. Biodiesel, produced from vegetable oil, has already entered the Energy Sector mainly as substitute for fossil-based diesel with low CO2 footprint. However, Biodiesel also constitutes a largely unused resource of renewable carbon for the Chemical Industry.<br/>XiMo Hungary Kft, together with its parent company Verbio AG, is now preparing to enter the chemical market by 2024 with industrial quantities of bio-based, renewable 1-decene and methyl 9-decenoate (9DAME), two key intermediates produced by the ethenolysis of unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester. The novel ethenolysis process uses a Tungsten-based metathesis catalyst developed by XiMo based on research from Nobel laureate Prof. Richard Schrock. To supply the needed catalyst for the industrial ethenolysis plant, XiMo will build a catalyst production plant with an annual capacity of 10 mt of metathesis catalyst. The catalyst production will supply catalysts for external customers and captive use. To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale production plant for this type of catalysts.<br/>Established industrial uses of 1-decene include the synthesis of polyalphaolefins, surfactants, and plasticizers. The bifunctional 9DAME has applications directly as solvent or building block for surfactants, polymers and lubricants in various markets. The two ten-carbon molecules are bio-based and renewable platform molecules with the potential to supply significant renewable carbon for the specialty chemical industry.<br/>The industrial implementation of the ethenolysis process is a direct proof of the maturity of these types of catalysts. XiMo sees metathesis as a versatile reaction for olefins, especially in the bio-based chemical field, polymer, pharma, F&F and agrotechnology. XiMo will continue to work with customers to develop catalysts and their implementation in industrial processes.

Olefin metathesis for renewables

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ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.