A Molecular Compound for Highly Selective Purification of Ethylene
Abstract
Purification of C2H4 from an C2H4 /C2H6 mixture is one of the most challenging separation processes, which is achieved mainly through energy‐intensive, cryogenic distillation in industry. Sustainable, non‐distillation methods are highly desired as alternatives. We discovered that the fluorinated bis(pyrazolyl)borate ligand supported copper(I) complex {[(CF3)2Bp]Cu}3 has features very desirable in an olefin–paraffin separation material. It binds ethylene exclusively over ethane generating [(CF3)2Bp]Cu(C2H4). This molecular compound exhibits extremely high and record ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) C2H4 /C2H6 gas separation selectivity, affording high purity (>99.5 %) ethylene that can be readily desorbed from separation columns. In‐situ PXRD provides a “live” picture of the reversible conversion between [(CF3)2Bp]Cu(C2H4) and the ethylene‐free sorbent in the solid‐state, driven by the presence or removal of C2H4. Molecular structures of trinuclear {[(CF3)2Bp]Cu}3 and mononuclear [(CF3)2Bp]Cu(C2H4) are also presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Nov 16, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1002/anie.202109338
Entities
People
- Andrey A. Yakovenko
- Anurag Noonikara-Poyil
- Banglin Chen
- Bin Wang
- Hui Cui
- Peter W Stephens
- Rasika Dias
- Rui‐biao Lin
Organizations
- Argonne National Laboratory
- National Science Foundation
- Robert A. Welch Foundation
- Stony Brook University
- Sun Yat-sen University
- University of Texas at Arlington
- University of Texas at San Antonio