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Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Selective conversion of syngas to light olefins
Feng Jiao1, Jinjing Li1, Xiulian Pan2
1State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, 2011-Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, China.
Abstract:
Although considerable progress has been made in direct synthesis gas (syngas) conversion to light olefins (C2(=)-C4(=)) via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS), the wide product distribution remains a challenge, with a theoretical limit of only 58% for C2-C4 hydrocarbons. We present a process that reaches C2(=)-C4(=) selectivity as high as 80% and C2-C4 94% at carbon monoxide (CO) conversion of 17%. This is enabled by a bifunctional catalyst affording two types of active sites with complementary properties. The partially reduced oxide surface (ZnCrO(x)) activates CO and H2, and C-C coupling is subsequently manipulated within the confined acidic pores of zeolites. No obvious deactivation is observed within 110 hours. Furthermore, this composite catalyst and the process may allow use of coal- and biomass-derived syngas with a low H2/CO ratio.
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