Low Pressure Ethenolysis of Renewable Methyl Oleate in a Microchemical System

A microchemical system for ethenolysis of renewable methyl oleate was developed, in which the dual-phase, microfluidic design enabled efficient diffusion of ethylene gas into liquid methyl oleate through an increased contact area. The increased mass transfer of ethylene favored the formation of desired commodity chemicals with significantly suppressed homometathesis when compared to the bulk system. In addition to higher selectivity and conversion, this system also provides the typical advantages of a microchemical system, including the possibility of convenient scale-up.