Health, safety, and regulatory issues are driving change in the plasticizers business away from phthalate-based materials. This report assesses the chemistry, production technology and costs, and properties of a variety of non-phthalate plasticizers including BASF’s new Hexamoll DINCH, Eastman’s di-(2-ethylhexyl)terephthalate.

The status of the MTBE phaseout in the U.S. and the impact it is having on gasoline formulation is presented. Alternative octane-boosting materials and production technologies are also examined.

Various approaches for biomass gasification are assessed including pyrolysis, staged gasification, and indirect gasification. Associated issues such as biomass availability and downstream syngas-based technologies, such as fermentation, mixed alcohols synthesis and FT syntheses are presented. A case study comparing the production economics of n-butanol via biomass gasification versus conventional propylene oxo synthesis is given.

The chemistry and technology for converting crude biodiesel-derived glycerin to propylene glycol are assessed. Process technologies developed by Davy, UOP and Senergy are reviewed and the COP economics for this conversion is compared to conventional propylene oxide hydrolysis. Market information for glycerin and propylene glycol is included.