Partner Collaborations Advance Second-Generation Elevance Biorefinery Technology

(Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc.) In collaboration with several partners, including the special contribution of Versalis under a strategic partnership started in early 2014, Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. — a high-growth company that creates novel specialty chemicals from natural oils — has successfully completed scale-up of a second-generation biorefinery technology of the company’s olefin metathesis technology, utilizing ethylene and natural oil feedstocks.

The ethenolysis process advancement represents an important milestone for the development of a second-generation metathesis technology — the first of its kind — enabling an enhanced product portfolio from natural oils metathesis.

Catalysts produced by XiMo AG were used at Soneas' manufacturing facility in Budapest, Hungary. The run represented a scale up of 40,000 times what had been previously demonstrated in the laboratory and the largest ever usage of "Schrock" (Molybdenum/Tungsten) catalysts for metathesis with ethylene and a renewable oil.

"This significant accomplishment advances the interests of several of our partners and demonstrates the advantages of working together," said Mel Luetkens, COO at Elevance. "Elevance is pleased to be at the center of this collaboration and to be advancing these important developments for our partners and us. It is another validation of Elevance’s technology and the value that we bring to our partner relationships."

XiMo AG, a company focused on the development and application of proprietary metathesis catalysts, and Elevance began working together in January 2011, carrying out successful demonstrations that make the Molybdenum- and Tungsten- catalyzed metathesis of natural oil esters commercially competitive. Soneas, formerly known as Ubichem Pharma Manufacturing, is a professional chemical service provider with pilot and commercial scale manufacturing facilities.

The advancement was partially funded by and supports a wider strategic partnership between Versalis, the chemical subsidiary of Eni, and Elevance that includes the joint development of Elevance’s ethenolysis technology. This takes advantage of Versalis’ extensive skills in catalysis process development and engineering design and Elevance’s proprietary know-how regarding metathesis and associated engineering with the use of vegetable oils in producing specialty chemicals for premium applications. Meanwhile, Versalis and Elevance have also been collaborating for the implementation at the Versalis Porto Marghera site of a biorefinery based on Elevance proprietary technology of natural oils’ metathesis with 1-butene.

"We strongly believe in the potential of metathesis technology since it is a mild reaction that does not destroy the molecular complexity of vegetable feedstocks, the highest value of them," said Sergio Lombardini, Director of Research & Innovation Technology at Versalis. "This is why even in the engineering phase for a butene-1 metathesis plant, we are looking at ethylene as an alternative co-feedstock aiming to target an even higher value of products portfolio."

The ethenolysis tolling run was also partially funded by a grant from the United States Soybean Board given to Elevance for metathesis of soybean oil products, which were used as feedstocks for this project.

Headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois, USA, Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. is a high-growth company that creates novel specialty chemicals that perform better from renewable feedstocks, making the products that industry and consumers use every day better. Using a proprietary technology called olefin metathesis, the company delivers specialty chemicals that exceed the performance of existing products while leaving a smaller environmental footprint — for use in personal care products, detergents and cleaners, engineered polymers, lubricants and additives, and other specialty chemicals markets. To learn more, visit www.elevance.com or www.renewicals.com

Versalis (Eni) is interfacing with markets through globally-oriented strategies and a market-driven product portfolio. It leads the industry in manufacturing intermediates, polyethylene, styrenics and elastomers and has entered the green chemicals and polymers industry partnering also with worldwide biotech companies. Versalis prides itself on its wide range of proprietary technologies, wide-reaching distribution network and after-sales assistance. As part of its new strategy, the company aims to gain a leadership position in fast-growing markets by leveraging its technological and industrial expertise. In Asia, Versalis has entered into partnerships with global petrochemical producers for development of its elastomer division. To learn more, visit www.versalis.eni.com.

XiMo is a Swiss-based company focused on the development and application of proprietary metathesis catalysts for use in the specialty chemical, agro chemical, renewables, pharmaceutical, flavors and fragrances, polymers and advanced materials sectors. The company’s molybdenum and tungsten catalysts are based on the breakthrough scientific research of founders Amir Hoveyda at Boston College and Richard Schrock at MIT, co-winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. XiMo partners with selected leading companies on a time-limited exclusive basis, providing access to its intellectual property and technical expertise, to solve important industrial chemistry problems and to enable development of novel molecules and materials. XiMo’s complexes deliver both high activity and selectivity in metathesis transformations, enabling efficient Z-selective cross-metathesis, as well as enantioselective reactions. Details are available on XiMo’s website: www.ximo-inc.com.

Headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, Soneas is a chemical service provider with a pragmatic approach to innovation. Providing a comprehensive range of chemistry services. Developing and producing starting materials, intermediates and fine and specialty chemicals for pharma and non-pharma applications from 100s of grammes up to a 100 tonnes. As a committed chemical expert, having 20 years of experience in R&D, Soneas works to a high degree of accuracy and reliability. Having a comprehensive range of chemistry services (from lab through pilot to commercial scale), to support development and manufacturing activities. To learn more, visit www.soneas.com. READ MORE