#ethers

we made it to the promised land

Ethers may have a more sustainable future thanks to heterogenous catalysis

Optimizing chemical processes to ensure they are environmentally friendly and sustainable is becoming increasingly important and catalysts play a key role as they can make reactions more efficient. Researchers from Osaka University have reported a zirconium oxide-supported platinum-molybdenum catalyst that promotes the selective conversion of esters into valuable unsymmetrical ethers. Their findings are published in JACS Au.

Catalysts have long been at the heart of making chemical reactions faster, improving their yields, and making them less wasteful and more energy efficient, leading to processes that are more cost effective and better for the environment.

Ethers are organic molecules that have a range of uses in products such as fragrances, fuels, and pharmaceuticals. They contain an oxygen atom that can be thought of as a bridge between two parts. If the parts are the same, they are considered symmetrical; if they are different, they are unsymmetrical. Current routes to unsymmetrical ethers have various limitations. For example, some require specific starting materials, some produce large amounts of waste, and some need conditions—such as high pressure—that are expensive and/or polluting to produce.