High selectivity production of propylene from 2-butene: non-degenerate pathways to convert symmetric olefins via olefin metathesis.

The first example of propylene production from 2-butene in promising yield is described by reacting trans-2-butene over tungsten hydrides precursor W-H/Al(2)O(3) at 150 °C and different pressures in a continuous flow reactor. The tungsten carbene-hydride active site operates as a "bi-functional catalyst" through the disfavoured 2-butene isomerisation on W-hydride and 2-butenes/1-butene cross-metathesis on W-carbene.

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