Verbio presents bio-based C10 chemicals at Chemspec Europe 2026

Verbio SE will present a portfolio of bio-based chemical compounds at the Chemspec Europe 2026 in Cologne, focusing on C10 building blocks and platform molecules derived from rapeseed oil.

The portfolio targets applications in lubricants, polymers, coatings, adhesives, and specialty chemical synthesis, offering alternatives to fossil-based raw materials.

Bio-based feedstock and chemical conversion
The products are derived from regionally sourced rapeseed oil, processed into chemical intermediates with defined molecular structures. These materials are free from palm oil and genetically modified inputs, and are designed to provide consistent purity and reactivity for industrial applications.

The core production process is olefin metathesis, a catalytic reaction that restructures carbon chains in vegetable oil derivatives to produce molecules with specific chain lengths and functional groups. This enables the generation of targeted intermediates for downstream chemical synthesis.

Industrial-scale production via ethenolysis
Verbio SE is constructing an industrial-scale ethenolysis plant at its Bitterfeld site in Germany. The facility is designed to convert rapeseed methyl ester into bio-based molecules such as 1-decene and methyl 9-decenoate.

At full capacity, the plant is expected to produce up to 60,000 tonnes of these compounds annually. These molecules serve as intermediates for further chemical transformations, including the production of alcohols, esters, and long-chain diacids.




C10 building blocks for chemical synthesis
Key products include 1-decene and methyl 9-decenoate (9-DAME), which function as platform chemicals in various synthesis pathways. These compounds can be used to produce lubricants, polymer precursors, coatings, and adhesive systems.

From 9-DAME, additional derivatives such as 1-decanol, methyl decanoate, and C18 diacids can be synthesized, expanding the range of applications in specialty chemicals and materials science.

Catalyst development and process control
The metathesis process relies on highly selective catalysts developed by XiMo, a subsidiary of Verbio. These catalysts enable controlled reactions with high selectivity and yield, supporting scalable industrial production.

Catalyst performance is critical for maintaining reaction efficiency and ensuring consistent product quality across large-scale operations.

Role in regional chemical supply chains
By using regionally sourced feedstocks and local production, the approach supports “local-for-local” supply models in the European chemical industry. This reduces dependency on global raw material supply chains and improves supply stability.

The integration of bio-based feedstocks into chemical production also contributes to reduced carbon intensity at the material level, supporting industry efforts to lower emissions per unit of output.

The presented portfolio reflects Verbio SE’s strategy to expand into specialty chemicals and develop scalable alternatives to fossil-based chemical intermediates.

Edited by Natania Lyngdoh, Induportals Editor — Adapted by AI.

www.verbio.com