The novel combination of multiple phase metathesis and reactive distillation which we use has led to high yields at the bench scale. We are the recipient of a DOE SBIR Phase II grant and are using those funds to construct a pilot plant at the University of Texas. Construction is almost complete.

The process uses moderate pressures and moderate temperatures. By its very nature the reaction is being conducted in a distillation column. There is no separation of the butene from the butane before the reactive distillation. The butene is actually “reacted” away from the butane, which is returned to the ethylene cracker to be used as a fuel.

The metathesis can be repeated on the products from the original metathesis. So this process is able to convert butene into pentene and hexene co-monomers in the first pass. To convert the pentene hexene to plasticizer precursors heptene, octene, nonene in the second pass. To convert the heptene, octene and nonene into decene, undecene, dodecene detergent precursors in the third pass. And finally to convert the decene, undecene, dodecene into pentadecene through octadecene drilling fluid in the fourth pass.