Baylor Office of Innovation & Economic Development’s Post

Baylor Chemistry & Biochemistry Department Assistant Professor, Dr. Liela (Bayeh) Romero, has developed an innovative approach to selectively reduce esters into valuable aldehydes, offering a cost-effective and scalable solution for chemical and industrial applications. Esters are vital components used across various industries, including food flavorings, perfumes, and polymer production. The selective reduction of esters into aldehydes, rather than alcohols, is a crucial step in producing valuable chemical intermediates. Current methods, such as the use of diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H), are costly and require specialized conditions like cryogenic temperatures. This technology, however, offers a breakthrough by enabling ester reduction at 80°C, using a zirconocene catalyst that provides high yields of aldehydes (84%) and intermediate imines/enamines (up to 99%), all while maintaining high selectivity and minimal alcohol formation. This technology can be used for pharmaceutical, agrochemical, flavor and fragrance chemistry, and PET upcycling applications. To learn more about the research behind this innovation, check out this publication: https://lnkd.in/dRedE8EF This technology is currently available for licensing through the Baylor Office of Innovation & Economic Development: https://lnkd.in/gRgcce3y #BaylorMade #TechTuesday Ioniqa Technologies rPET InWaste, sro CircularPET eeden Nouryon Avantium GC Bachem TCI - Tokyo Chemical Industry Oakwood Chemical Pyrowave Ecovyst, Inc. Lianhetech Europe Limited

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