Coupling Fatty Acids by Ketonic Decarboxylation Using Solid Catalysts for the Direct Production of Diesel, Lubricants, and Chemicals

In bed with magnesium: Long-chain alkanes that can be used as alternative premium diesel or lubricants can be obtained by a four-step process in a single reactor with two catalyst beds. First, two fatty acid molecules are coupled by ketonic decarboxylation over MgO. The carbonyl product is then hydrogenated, and after the elimination of water the resulting olefin is further hydrogenated to produce the alkane in up to 58 % yield (Pt/MgO).