Understanding the failure of direct C-C coupling in the zeolite-catalyzed methanol-to-olefin process

You are the weakest link, goodbye! Many individual steps of the direct mechanisms in the methanol-to-olefin process are tied together in an integrated scheme, allowing a simple identification of the weakest links. Calculations show that a combined pathway from methanol directly to ethylene does not exist and no CC bond can be formed directly.