Use of Other, Cheaper Raw Materials

Raw material costs decisively influence the total manufacturing costs of many chemical products a contribution of 70 % by the raw materials is not unusual. Thus the use of less highly refined raw materials is desirable. Therefore, efforts are being made worldwide to produce valuable chemicals from lower alkanes such as methane, ethane, propane, and butane instead of the olefins that are currently used. 

Another possibility is the partial oxidation of methane to oxygen-containing compounds (methanol, higher alcohols, aldehydes) or synthesis gas and dehydrogenative coupling to give aromatic compounds. 

The activation of higher alkanes is also being intensively investigated. An example is the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, propane, and isobutane to the corre- 

Other good prospects are olfered by Cj chemistry, especially that of methanol, the price of which has continuously fallen and is now only about twice that of ethylene. A major challenge for catalyst research is the oxidative coupling of methanol to produce ethylene glycol. 

Catal54ic oxidations of hydrocarbons have relatively low selectivities. Reactions with interesting perspectives are the direct oxidation of propylene to propylene oxide, of benzene to phenol, and of propane to isopropanol and acetone. 

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