Technology Offer of TU Berlin

Electrodicarboxylation of Alkenes with CO2 and H2

Patent #19012/TUB
Background
Today many chemical productions are critical reviewed for which raw materials are used and which by-products are produced. For producing adipic acid, being essential to the production of nylon, large amounts of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) get released. Nitrous oxide shows greenhouse potentials nearly 300 times higher than CO2. Novel methods for industrial productions of basic chemicals not only have to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly but increasingly prohibit the formation of unwanted by-products or even more so to convert them into useful resources.
Technical Description
The invention presented here not only offers a method for producing for example adipic acid without using metallic sacrificial anodes and with high yield, but also binds CO2 by incorporating it into the product. The CO2 is activated and with butadiene produces the adipic acid. This happens in a hydrogen-rich atmosphere as substitution of a metallic sacrificial anode to close the circuit. Therefore, no metallic salts must be separated from the product by complex methods. Thus, is simplifying the maintenance. Additionally, common catalysts are sufficient for catalyzing the reaction. All those benefits are applicable to every alkene and polyene for synthesizing base chemicals and binding CO2.
Possible Applications
Chemical base industry, base material production, CO2-storage
Exemplar reactors for parallel (Fig. 1) or concentric (Fig. 2) reaction. (© TU Berlin)
Benefits
  1. Binding of CO2
  2. Broad area of application
  3. No metallic sacrificial anode needed
Technology Readiness Level Technology validated in lab (TRL: 4)
Property Rights
pending: EP, JP, US
Patent Holder
Technische Universität Berlin
Possible Cooperation
  • R&D Cooperation
  • Patent Purchase
  • Licensing
Contact Details
Ina KrügerTechnology Transfer Manager
+49 (0)30 314-75916ina.krueger@tu-berlin.de
All Techoffers: techoffers.tu-berlin.de