Evonik’s New Metathesis Catalysts

The Catalysts Business Line of Essen, Germany-based Evonik Industries has expanded its portfolio of metathesis catalysts. It is offering its customers three new, efficient homogeneous catalysts that cover a broad spectrum of reactions in cross-metathesis, ring-closing metathesis, and ring-opening metathesis: catMETium^® RF2, catMETium^® RF3, and catMETium^® RF4. In the chemical industry, metathesis is an important method for developing and producing, for example, high-tech plastics—including those based on renewable resources—or active ingredients for medicines and pesticides. Accordingly, the primary areas of application for the new catalysts are polymer chemistry and the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Ring-closing metathesis, for instance, is an indispensable reaction step in the synthesis of active ingredients for hepatitis C and cancer medications. Ring-opening cross-metathesis can be used to manufacture highly effective light-guiding polymer materials.

Evonik markets the new catalysts based on a proven, straightforward business model that requires no licensing agreements and ensures transparency. The total kilogram price for the catalysts already includes the licensing fees for the use of the intellectual property rights. The customer makes no additional commitments, and the name of the business model reflects its approach: The abbreviation “RF” stands for “royalty free.” “This model allows the customer to use the new catalysts without limitations," says Dr. Jürgen Krauter, head of marketing in Evonik's Catalysts Business Line.

Evonik Industries is a leading supplier of catalytic system solutions. It offers an extensive range of catalysts from a single source, as well as a comprehensive service package for customers from the life sciences, fine chemicals, industrial chemicals, chemical intermediates, and polymers industries.