With
stricter ecological regulation and reduction of fossil feedstock,
the research works have been oriented to renewable resources. Various
bio-based molecules have been proposed for replacing the platform
chemicals based on crude oil, but there are not yet well-established
processes for producing these chemicals at large scale. As a result,
in the short to midterm, a main impact will be expected from the production
of bio-based bulk chemicals having identical structures as today’s
bulk chemicals, including ethylene, which is a key intermediate for
the production of platform molecules. The commercial method for producing
ethylene is based on steam thermal cracking, but emerging methods
using alternative sources (natural gas, coal, biomass) are very promising
processes. For example, the high-volume production of ethylene by
ethanol dehydration has become an economically feasible application.
This perspective summarizes the advances in catalysts, processes,
and fundamental understanding of reaction mechanisms in ethylene conversion
to other high-value hydrocarbons, including propylene, butenes, and
BTX aromatics.