Key Technologies

Esterification is one of Seqens core technologies and has produced esters for many years handling raw materials such as alcohols, aliphatic and aromatic acids and anhydrides. A range of catalysts can be used, including inorganic acids, organic acids, lewis acids etc. We especially welcome enquiries for production of esters which require difficult separation of products and raw materials. 

Seqens’ skill set allows the products to be isolated by high resolution distillation achieving high >99% purity and low water content, often required as part of the ester specification, whether used in pharma, agrochemicals, F&F, electronics or other performance applications.

Seqens already makes a range of own and custom esters. Two of our own esters are 2-ethylhexyl acetate and ethyleneglycol diacetate.

Seqens offers quaternization and methyl capping capabilities in our glass-lined and chloride-resistant reactors in the U.K.

Our ability to economically handle bulk quantities of methyl chloride and epichlorohydrin differentiates us within the custom processing industry. We have EH&S expertise that assures that your process is handled safely and cost-efficiently.

Seqens produces ethers via dehydration and Williams synthesis handling raw materials such as alcohols, phenols, alkyl chlorides and aryl chlorides. A particular strength is in the handling of methyl/ethyl chloride for which we have bulk handling facilities.

Products are isolated by intensive distillation fractionation ability giving high purity and low water content products.
Seqens also offers its own Di-n-butyl ether, which is an efficient and safe replacement for THF in Grignard and other organometallic reactions.

By using our high temperature capabilities to convert esters into higher boiling esters coupled with isolation by fractional distillation makes this an ideal fit for Seqens.

Our fractionation capabilities mean that we can separate and recover alcohol thereby increasing cost effectiveness.

We can dehydrate alcohols to alkenes and acids to anhydrides using various catalysts including inorganic acids, organic acids and using fixed bed catalysts.

Our skill set allows us to produce high purity, low water content products by intensive distillation fractionation, which is often required as part of anhydride specifications, whether used in pharma, agrochemicals, F&F, electronics or other performance applications.
We can also produce materials which are not distilled such as high melting points materials. The melt can be dropped into drums, or to a flaker.
Our preference is for liquids, or products that melt below 50C.
One such product we make is glutaric anhydride.

Epoxidation is a useful and versatile chemical technology serving a diverse range of markets.

Seqens produces specialty epoxides and uses several technologies, handling raw materials such as aliphatic and complex cyclic alkenes and using a range of catalysts.

Our fractionation capabilities mean that we can separate and recover, unreacted olefins if necessary, and we can distil and dry the resulting epoxide and remove it from any catalyst used.

Diels-Alder chemistry is practiced throughout the chemical industry and has uses in many area’s such as F&F, pharma, electronics and in some cases, agrochemicals.

Seqens produce liquid products using our sophisticated distillation systems for markets such as F&F which often require high quality products with desired after notes

Cross coupling comes in many forms, such as Suzuki where Palladium catalysis is used. This is often considered expensive and the process is normally confined to high added value markets such as Pharma and sometimes Agchem.
Other systems do enable the same basic strategy to allow couplings to proceed.
These systems, developed to exploit our assets, allow Seqens to provide alternate routes to key industrial products such as vinyl monomers

PIB Phenol is an alkylated phenol. It can be alkylated or aminated in the alpha position using mannich type chemistry using formaldehyde and an amine (or alcohol) and can be C or O alkylation.
Seqens handles amines and alcohols and does several condensations of this type.

Dialkyl carbonates are handled by Seqens who can perform alkylations, aminations and make Oxazolidinones.

We offer quaternisation capabilities in our glass-lined and chloride-resistant steel reactors at the Billingham site in the U.K. Unlike many companies who handle only benzyl chloride, we have the capability and expertise to also make products using difficult-to-handle raw materials such as methyl chloride, ethyl chloride and epichlorohydrin.

We have the ability to produce high-purity products from small to large scale (>1000 MT) using fractionation, azeotropic and extractive distillation.
We particularly welcome projects with difficult to separate materials.

If your process requires both distillation and reaction, Seqens’ expertise in coupling reaction and distillation can provide the most economical process for your product. Our experts can help you determine which technology is right for you. Improved efficiency, lower costs and fewer by-products are some of the competitive edges we bring to our clients.

• Chlorination : acyl chlorides
• Bromination : bromoalcohols, bromoesters, bromoethers, brominated intermediates

The Gewald reaction is an organic reaction involving the condensation of a ketone or aldehyde with a α-cyanoester in the presence of elemental sulfur and base to give a poly-substituted 2-amino-thiophene.

The Arbuzov reaction (also called the Michaelis-Arbuzov reaction) is the chemical reaction of a trivalent phosphorus ester with an alkyl halide to form a pentavalent phosphorus species and another alkyl halide.

An organometallic cross-coupling reaction is a reaction where one fragment (aryl halide) is joined to one another (alkene, boronic acid or ester, organozinc, alkyne ou Grignard reagent, respectively) with the aid of a metal catalyst (Pd, Pt, Ni, Rh…) to form a new carbon-carbon bond.

A cyanation reaction is the attachment or substitution of a cyanide group on various substrates such as alkyl/aryl halides or aldehydes/ketones.

A hydrogenation reaction is a chemical reaction involving molecular hydrogen (H2), usually in the presence of a catalyst (Fe, Ni, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru…), to reduce unsaturated organic compounds (olefins, carbonyl compounds…).

Hydrogenation can be conducted in batch or flow chemistry (link to flow chem)

Oxidation can be accomplished in many ways. At Seqens we use several process types:

• Hydrogen peroxide: Here, using catalysts, hydrogen peroxide is used to form the epoxide, which can then be used to make diols, react with nucleophiles, etc…
• Air oxidation: Air oxidation has many uses, for instance in oxidation of aldehydes to acids, and more recently as a replacement for some technologies, such as chromium mediated oxidations -with Cr6+ being determined as toxic for humans, many F&F products that utilized this technology, have had to replace Chromium based catalysts.
• BAEYER VILLIGER: This is the well-known oxidation of ketones to esters or lactones with per-acids
• OPENAUER: oxidation of secondary alcohols into ketones

Seqens’ skill set, allows the products to be produced in high purity with low water content, often required as part of the specification, which is especially important in many applications. Also, given oxidations are often not as selective as required and separation from by-products is a key part of the Seqens value proposition.

A reduction reaction is a chemical reaction where a chemical species “donates” an electron to an electron recipient (ex : metallic hydrides [Boron ou Aluminium], iron complexes…).

Seqens can handle highly acidic environment thanks to specific equipments, can handle halogenated compounds (AlCl3, BF3) and is integrated in acids and acyl chloride synthesis :

• Friedel & Crafts reactions: aromatic ketones
• Wittig reaction: A Useful Method for Converting
• Aldehydes and Ketones to alkenes
• Fatty acids alkylation
• Grignard: secondary and tertiary alcohols, acids, coupling reactions
• Amides
• Quaternary ammoniums: quaternium polymers and salts

• Radical polymerization: acrylate copolymers, polyvinylpyrrolidone
• Polycondensation : polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes,
• Coupling polymerisation : polycarbazoles, polythiophenes
• Polysiloxanes
• Sol-gel
• Anionic polymerization
• Polymerization by cycle opening
• Polyaddition
• Polymer functionalization

Neutralization of alkylaryl sulfonic acid with soda, to obtain sodium sulfonate, is quite easy. However, with a specific process, Seqens can propose these surfactants, with 2 specificities, a very low content of water and a custom carrier (mineral oil, ester…).
These additives have a dual function, combining emulsification and rust inhibition properties.

Seqens has produced sulfurized polymer, considered as extreme pression additives, for over 30 years.

3 different processes are available to cover 3 different ranges of product, low odor, light color, to dark product, from low to very high viscosity (15 – 10 000 cSt @ 40°C).

With high standard on safety, H2S and mercaptan are fully controlled to reach the best performances of these additives.

Seqens has produced overbased calcium sulfonate for over 40 years. A strength is our specific one-step process, enabling to choose 100% of the carrier and reduce carbon footprint. On top of that, with a wide range of alkylaryl sulfonic acid as raw material, Seqens could propose various additive for long term protection diluted in base oil, solvent, ester … as well as OBCaS grease with a unique biodegradable offer.

Seqens also produces amine carbamate for the MWF market with dedicated reactor.
With a wide range of alkylaryl sulfonic acid as raw material, Seqens could propose various additives for short- and medium-term anticorrosion protection, with added properties as dewatering, demulsification …

Know more Link to Multipurpose flow chem page