This project is led by Benoît Louis, of the Lasyroc team at the Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg (Unistra - UMR 7177). The research team identified a new catalyst to convert methanol to propylene. 

Currently, propylene production is mainly from the petrochemical industry. One of the main outlets for this production is the manufacture of polypropylene. Projections for the coming years point to a growing demand for plastics such as polypropylene, which is already putting the market under pressure. The use of methanol therefore offers an attractive alternative.