Robert Scott Smith

Method for making trans non-conjugated diolefins

A method is provided for selectively producing a trans-geometrical isomer of non-conjugated diolefins. The method comprises treating a starting non-conjugated diolefin isomer or mixture of isomers, a first mono-olefin and a second mono-olefin with a metathesis catalyst under selected reaction conditions to produce a product with greater than 80 % trans-geometrical isomer content. In a preferred embodiment, 1,4-hexadiene, ethene, and propene contact an Re2O7 catalyst and are converted to a reaction product mixture with above 80 % trans-1,4-hexadiene.