In: Chemistry
Explain what is olefin metathesis? in one paragraph
Olefin Metathesis allows the exchange of substituents between different olefins - a transalkylidenation.
This reaction was first used in petroleum reformation for the synthesis of higher olefins (Shell higher olefin process - SHOP), with nickel catalysts under high pressure and high temperatures. Nowadays, even polyenes with MW > 250,000 are produced industrially in this way.
Synthetically useful, high-yield procedures for lab use include ring closure between terminal vinyl groups, cross metathesis - the intermolecular reaction of terminal vinyl groups - and ring opening of strained alkenes. When molecules with terminal vinyl groups are used, the equilibrium can be driven by the ready removal of the product ethene from the reaction mixture. Ring opening metathesis can employ an excess of a second alkene (for example ethene), but can also be conducted as a homo- or co-polymerization reaction. The driving force in this case is the loss of ring strain.