Ethanol Upgrading to Higher Hydrocarbons and Oxygenates: Current Challenges and Upcoming Opportunities

Abstract

Ethanol upgrading has reemerged as a promising route to renewable hydrocarbons and oxygenates, driven by the global demand for fuels and chemicals. While ethanol dehydration to ethylene is a mature process, recent advances in zeolite and oxide catalysts have deepened the mechanistic understanding and improved stability against coking, enabling efficient ethylene oligomerization toward jet- and diesel-range hydrocarbons. Parallel efforts in coupling pathways have expanded the product spectrum beyond traditional C4 molecules, achieving selective formation of butenes, 1,3-butadiene, and heavier hydrocarbons and oxygenates (ketones, esters, aldehydes, and alcohols). Despite these advances, key challenges remain in order to accelerate research in the area: the limited application of operando characterization techniques, the high computational cost of modeling multifunctional catalyst surfaces, and the gap between laboratory conditions and industrially relevant operation. This perspective critically reviews recent progress in ethanol upgrading over the past 5 years, highlighting mechanistic insights, catalyst innovations, and process-level opportunities. Finally, future directions are outlined, emphasizing the need for integrated catalyst design, advanced methodologies, and scale-up studies to establish ethanol as a versatile platform for chemical production.