Adjustment to Kolbe coupling allows one to make high-cost materials out of waste

https://phys.org/news/2023-04-adjustment-kolbe-coupling-high-cost-materials.html

"rapid alternating polarity... carbon-based electrodes (not platinum electrodes) ... by using rAP avoided oxidizing functional group... conduced Kolbe coupling experiments with the 2 adjustments... castor oil to make 10-undecenoic acid... inserted electrode and conducted rAP... produced 1,19-eicosadiene, typically $10,000/ gram... diol mixed with a diketone to create degradable ketal-polymer... could also be used to convert side-chain carboxylic acids to other products or succinic acid esters into adipic acid esters"

Related: New pipeline makes valuable organic acid from plants—saving money and emissions

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-pipeline-valuable-acid-plantssaving-money.html