Schematic diagram of the catalytic dehydrogenative dimerization of ethylene to butadiene
Invention Summary:
1,3-Butadiene is a chemical building block, most notably known for the production of synthetic elastomers and polymers. Traditionally, 1,3-butadiene is produced as a byproduct of naphtha cracking for ethylene production. Due to new sources, ethylene production has shifted away from naphtha cracking towards cracking ethane-rich shale gas. This has a left an unmet demand for 1,3-butadiene.
Researchers at Rutgers University developed a new method of producing 1,3-butadiene using a phebox pincer-ligated iridium catalyst. The iridium complex is used for catalysis of the dehydrogenative dimerization of ethylene. The reaction runs under mild conditions and with high selectivity.
Market Applications:
- Elastomer production
- Styrene production
- Chemical suppliers
Advantages:
- Inexpensive feedstock
- High selectivity
- Mild reaction conditions
Intellectual Property & Development Status:
Patent pending. Available for licensing and/or research collaboration.
Academic Publication:
Yang Gao, Thomas J. Emge, Karsten Krogh-Jespersen, and Alan S. Goldman. Selective Dehydrogenative Coupling of Ethylene to Butadiene via an Iridacyclopentane Complex. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2018 140 (6), 2260-2264 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b11689
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.7b11689
