Axens' Alphabutol process developed in cooperation with SABIC is the industry’s benchmark for the production of high purity 1-butene by ethylene dimerization. The process operates in the liquid phase using a soluble catalyst system which avoids isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene. There is no need for superfractionation of the product stream.

There are now 19 Alphabutol licenses for the production of butene-1 using homogeneous catalysis with a total butene-1 production capacity of 312 000 MTPY.