Covestro Pursues Biobased Aniline

摘要

In a development that could eventually put a large swath of the polymers world on a low-carbon footing, Bayer spinoff Covestro has demonstrated in the lab a process for making the polyurethane (PU) precursor aniline from sugar instead of petrochemical raw materials. In the conventional route to aniline, benzene is nitrated with nitric acid and then hydrogenated into aniline. Historically, aniline has also been made by reacting phenol and ammonia. Covestro hasn't completely taken the wraps off its process.