Reforming Biodiesel Fuels via Metathesis with Light Olefins

Fatty-acid methyl esters (FAME) are considered a renewable source of raw materials for the chemical industry, including their use in biodiesel fuel mixtures. In the following manuscript, we describe the cross-metathesis reactions of a corn oil-derived FAME mixture with isobutylene and other branched light olefins. Cross-metathesis reactions are also reported with styrene. Cross-metathesis reactions were done with methyl oleate as a reference. These reforming reactions were done in an effort to increase the volatility of the fuel mixtures, as well as introduce branching or the phenyl group into the hydrocarbon chains. The resulting metathesis products contain high percentages of biorenewable carbon (46-100%). The chemistry represents a new approach to the preparation of green fuels - as a biorenewable stream is merged with high volume petroleum-derived streams.