Phillips Triolefin Process alkene metathesis

Olefin metathesis is the transition-metal-catalyzed inter- or intramolecular exchange of alkylidene units of alkenes. The metathesis of propene is the most simple example in the presence of a suitable catalyst, an equilibrium mixture of ethene, 2-butene, and unreacted propene is obtained (Eq. 1). This example illustrates one of the most important features of olefin metathesis its reversibility. The metathesis of propene was the first technical process exploiting the olefin metathesis reaction. It is known as the Phillips triolefin process and was run from 1966 till 1972 for the production of 2-butene (feedstock propene) and from 1985 for the production of propene (feedstock ethene and 2-butene, which is nowadays obtained by dimerization of ethene). Typical catalysts are oxides of tungsten, molybdenum or rhenium supported on silica or alumina [ 1 ]. 

As stated above, olefin metathesis is in principle reversible, because all steps of the catalytic cycle are reversible. In preparatively useful transformations, the equilibrium is shifted to one side. This is most commonly achieved by removal of a volatile alkene, mostly ethene, from the reaction mixture. An obvious and well-established way to classify olefin metathesis reactions is depicted in Scheme 2. Depending on the structure of the olefin, metathesis may occur either inter- or intramolecularly. Intermolecular metathesis of two alkenes is called cross metathesis (CM) (if the two alkenes are identical, as in the case of the Phillips triolefin process, the term self metathesis is sometimes used). The intermolecular metathesis of an a,co-diene leads to polymeric structures and ethene this mode of metathesis is called acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET). Intramolecular metathesis of these substrates gives cycloalkenes and ethene (ring-closing metathesis, RCM) the reverse reaction is the cleavage of a cyclo-... 

For organic chemists, the term metathesis is used most often to mean alkene or olefin metathesis. This process, which can be catalysed by a range of transition metals, was discovered accidentally in the petrochemical industry. Its first commercial application was in the Phillips triolefin process in which propene was converted to an equilibrium mixture of ethene, 2-butene and the starting propene at 400 °C in the presence of an unknown tungsten species (Scheme 8.51). The process was in use between 1966 and 1972. Interestingly, with changes in feedstock prices and demands, the process is now run in reverse, producing propene from ethene and 2-butene. 

Alkylation processes usually combine isobutane with an alkene or with mixed alkene streams (C3-C5 olefins from FCC units). The best octane ratings are attained when isobutane is alkylated with butylenes. Alkylation of higher-molecular-weight hydrocarbons (>C5) is less economic because of increased probability of side reactions. Phillips developed a technology that combines its triolefin process (metathesis of propylene to produce ethylene and 2-butenes) with alkylation since 2-butenes yield better alkylate than propylene.290 Since ethylene cannot be readily used in protic acid-catalyzed alkylations, a process employing AICI3 promoted by water was also developed.291... 

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