Small olefins from syngas

The conversion of coal or natural gas to liquid fuels or chemicals often proceeds through the production of CO and H 2 . This mixture, known as syngas, is then converted to hydrocarbons with Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. For the light olefins (ethylene to butylenes) needed for chemical and polymer synthesis, conventional catalysts are mechanistically limited to <60% conversion and deactivate through carbon buildup. Jiao et al. developed a bifunctional catalyst that achieves higher conversions and avoids deactivation (see the Perspective by de Jong). A zinc-chromium oxide creates ketene intermediates that are then coupled over a zeolite.

Science, this issue p. 1065, see also p. 1030