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Efficient ethylene purification by a robust ethane-trapping porous organic cage

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  • Kongzhao Su

    (State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Wenjing Wang

    (State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shunfu Du

    (State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University)

  • Chunqing Ji

    (State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Daqiang Yuan

    (State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

The removal of ethane (C2H6) from its analogous ethylene (C2H4) is of paramount importance in the petrochemical industry, but highly challenging due to their similar physicochemical properties. The use of emerging porous organic cage (POC) materials for C2H6/C2H4 separation is still in its infancy. Here, we report the benchmark example of a truncated octahedral calix[4]resorcinarene-based POC adsorbent (CPOC-301), preferring to adsorb C2H6 than C2H4, and thus can be used as a robust absorbent to directly separate high-purity C2H4 from the C2H6/C2H4 mixture. Molecular modelling studies suggest the exceptional C2H6 selectivity is due to the suitable resorcin[4]arene cavities in CPOC-301, which form more multiple C–H···π hydrogen bonds with C2H6 than with C2H4 guests. This work provides a fresh avenue to utilize POC materials for highly selective separation of industrially important hydrocarbons.

Suggested Citation

  • Kongzhao Su & Wenjing Wang & Shunfu Du & Chunqing Ji & Daqiang Yuan, 2021. "Efficient ethylene purification by a robust ethane-trapping porous organic cage," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24042-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24042-7
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