Toward Platform Chemicals from Bio-Based Ethylene: Heterogeneous Catalysts and Processes

Abstract

With stricter ecological regulation and reduction of fossil feedstock, the research works have been oriented to renewable resources. Various bio-based molecules have been proposed for replacing the platform chemicals based on crude oil, but there are not yet well-established processes for producing these chemicals at large scale. As a result, in the short to midterm, a main impact will be expected from the production of bio-based bulk chemicals having identical structures as today’s bulk chemicals, including ethylene, which is a key intermediate for the production of platform molecules. The commercial method for producing ethylene is based on steam thermal cracking, but emerging methods using alternative sources (natural gas, coal, biomass) are very promising processes. For example, the high-volume production of ethylene by ethanol dehydration has become an economically feasible application. This perspective summarizes the advances in catalysts, processes, and fundamental understanding of reaction mechanisms in ethylene conversion to other high-value hydrocarbons, including propylene, butenes, and BTX aromatics.