Metathesis in Oleochemistry

• Autor(a) principal: Mol,Johannes C.
• Data de Publicação: 1998
• Outros Autores: Buffon,Regina
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-50531998000100002
• topic: metathesis; catalysts; oleochemicals; esters

Metathesis is an attractive reaction for the conversion of oleochemical feedstocks into useful chemical products. Thus, metathesis of unsaturated fatty acid esters (the oleochemical raw materials) provides a convenient route to unsaturated diesters which can be used as intermediates for the production of polymers and specialty chemicals. Cross-metathesis with olefins is a means to change the chain length of fatty acids and derivatives; cross-metathesis with ethene (ethenolysis) gives compounds with terminal double bonds, having a broad range of applications. Ethenolysis of fatty oils or triglycerides allows the transformation of long-chain fatty acid triglycerides into fatty oils of lower molecular weight. Several highly selective catalyst systems - homogeneous as well as heterogeneous - have proven to be successful for the metathesis of unsaturated esters. Especially modified heterogeneous rhenium- and molybdenum-based catalysts have attracted much attention. Considering catalyst activation and regeneration procedures, rhenium-based catalysts are to be preferred.