Provided is a method capable of producing an olefin with high selectivity and high yield using a vicinal diol as a raw material. A method for producing an olefin includes a step of reacting a compound including two adjacent carbon atoms each containing a hydroxy group with hydrogen and forming an olefin, and in this step, the reaction of the compound including two adjacent carbon atoms each containing a hydroxy group with the hydrogen proceeds in the presence of a catalyst under a condition substantially free of a solvent. The catalyst includes a carrier, at least one oxide supported on the carrier and selected from the group consisting of oxides of group-6 elements and oxides of group-7 elements, and at least one metal supported on the carrier and selected from the group consisting of silver, iridium, and gold.

To provide a platinum-loaded alumina catalyst with an improved catalyst life.

A platinum-loaded alumina catalyst includes an alumina carrier, and platinum loaded on the alumina carrier, wherein the alumina carrier includes a γ-alumina carrier having a surface area of 200 m.sup.2/g or more, a pore volume of 0.50 m.sup.2/g or more, an average pore diameter in a range of 60 to 150 Å, with pores having a pore diameter in a range of ±30 Å from the average pore diameter occupying 60% or more of a total pore volume, platinum particles are loaded on γ-alumina carrier in a range of 0.1 to 1.5% by weight calculated as elemental platinum (Pt), and 70% or more of the platinum particles have a size of 8 to 15 Å by direct observation using a transmission electron microscope.

A method for producing an ammoxidation catalyst, the method including: a step (i) of preparing a starting material slurry comprising molybdenum, bismuth, iron, and a carboxylic acid compound; a step (ii) of stirring the starting material slurry in a temperature range of 30 to 50° C. for 20 minutes to 8 hours, thereby preparing a precursor slurry; a step of spray-drying the precursor slurry, thereby obtaining a dried particle; and a step of calcining the dried particle.

To provide a photopolymerization sensitizer which will not cause problems of dusting or coloring of a cured product by bleeding of additives such as the photopolymerization sensitizer on the surface e.g. by blooming at the time of photo-curing or during storage of the cured product, and which imparts a practically sufficient photo-curing rate. An oligomer of a 9,10-bis(substituted oxy)anthracene compound having repeating units represented by the following formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein n represents a repetition number and is from 2 to 50, each of X and Y which may be the same or different, is a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-8 alkyl group or a halogen atom, and A is a bivalent substituent.

A method for producing a catalyst, including a slurry preparation step of preparing a slurry comprising a Mo compound, an Fe compound, a Bi compound, and an additive having a decomposition temperature of 500° C. or less; a drying step of drying the slurry to obtain a dried material; and a calcination step of calcining the dried material to obtain a calcined material, wherein the calcination step comprises a step of raising temperature of a calcination atmosphere to a predetermined temperature, and a temperature raising rate is 10° C./min or less at least at a temperature equal to or lower than the decomposition temperature of the additive.

[PROBLEM] To provide a novel method for synthesising a polyphenol. [SOLUTION] A polyphenol production method including the reaction of catechin in the presence of a catalyst and an oxidising agent, said catalyst comprising a metal oxide and/or a composite that comprises: a substrate which has an inorganic material on the surface thereof; and metal nanoparticles of a particle diameter of 0.5-100 nm attached to the surface of the inorganic material.

The present invention relates to a catalyst which is a composite oxide including at least one element X selected from the group consisting of elements belonging to Groups 3 to 6 of the periodic table, and at least one element Z selected from the group consisting of elements belonging to Group 14 of the periodic table, wherein the catalyst has mesopores.

A method for producing an α-acyloxycarboxylic acid ester of Formula (1) is described. The method involves reacting an α-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester compound with an acylating agent in the presence of a catalyst comprising an iron halide compound. R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, an n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, or a tert-butyl group, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently represent a methyl group or an ethyl group, and R.sup.4 represents a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

##STR00001##

A method for producing an α-acyloxycarboxylic acid ester of Formula (1) is described. The method involves reacting an α-hydroxycarboxylic acid ester compound with an acylating agent in the presence of a catalyst comprising an iron halide compound. R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, an n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, or a tert-butyl group, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently represent a methyl group or an ethyl group, and R.sup.4 represents a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

##STR00001##

A method for producing xylene, including a conversion reaction step of bringing a raw material containing a light hydrocarbon having 2 to 7 carbon atoms as a main component into contact with a crystalline aluminosilicate-containing catalyst to produce a product containing a monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon having 6 to 8 carbon atoms and a xylene conversion step of subjecting the product to a disproportionation reaction or a transalkylation reaction.