This present invention provides a sustainable catalytic process for the production of the functionalised styrene monomers from fossil-based or biomass-derived feedstock materials. Methodology involves the coupling of the aromatic oxygenate compounds or benzene with ethylene in a broad temperature range of 150–300 °C with pressures, ranging from 5 to 100 bar, over heterogeneous catalyst materials. As opposed to the conventional production process from ethylbenzene by dehydrogenation, aromatic ring carbon is directly coupled with ethylene. This opens the door to functionalising the aromatic oxygenate compounds, such as those, derived from biomass, in addition to benzene.
COBISS.SI-ID: 6765082