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Industrial Factory

PhosCat T M

Catalysis Redefined. Olefination Reimagined.
Redox cycle for the catalytic Wittig reaction

Catalytic Wittig

Introduction 

At ChemTank, innovation means challenging convention and redefining what’s possible in chemistry. Traditional olefination often depends on costly metals and inefficient processes — but we saw a better way. The Catalytic Wittig Reaction (CWR) — developed by the O’Brien research group — is the world’s first transition-metal-free catalytic olefination. The CWR, marketed under the trademark PhosCat™, was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Chemistry Emerging Technologies Competition in 2016, recognising its potential to transform synthetic chemistry. 

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The CWR delivers clean, efficient, and scalable chemistry with broad substrate compatibility and exceptional control — while dramatically reducing energy use and emissions. With clear potential across the fine chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, the CWR offers a faster, greener, and more cost-effective route to complex molecules. The CWR isn’t just a new reaction. It’s proof that innovation and sustainability can move hand in hand — shaping the future of modern chemistry.

Lifecycle analysis of the catalytic Wittig reaction

Figure 1. Lifecycle analysis of the catalytic Wittig Reaction for the formation of methyl cinnamate. Taken from Huijbregts et al Green. Chem. 2013, 15, 1255-1263. CED: Cumulative Energy Demand; GHG: Greenhouse Gas emissions.

Catalytic Wittig

Utilisation 

Catalytic Wittig in cation reaction conditions
Catalytic Wittig in action example 1
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