Green Chemistry Challenge: 2024 Small Business Award

Viridis Chemical Company

Viridis Chemical Company is being recognized for developing a process for making renewable ethyl acetate, a common chemical that has traditionally relied on fossil fuel feedstocks. Viridis developed a catalyst that allows them to produce ethyl acetate from corn ethanol instead of from chemicals acquired from processing coal or natural gas. The process also produces hydrogen gas as a byproduct, which is used to generate some of the energy needed to operate the plant, thus reducing the plant’s energy needs and therefore greenhouse gas emissions and emissions of other hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants associated with energy production.

Summary of Technology

Viridis Chemical Company has developed a synthesis method to produce ethyl acetate from corn bioethanol instead of methanol, the latter of which is typically derived from non-renewable fossil fuel feedstocks. The reaction uses a solid-state catalyst, allowing reclamation of the catalyst constituents at end of life. The dehydration of bioethanol also produces hydrogen gas, which is used to provide about 40 percent of the plant’s energy needs. 

Viridis’ process produces high-purity ethyl acetate, which provides a drop-in replacement for fossil fuel-based ethyl acetate. The new process meaningfully reduces environmental impacts compared to the traditional esterification and direct addition routes, scoring better than both methods in most environmental impact categories.

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