The present disclosure generally relates to the production of fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof. The compounds used to produce the fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof may be derived from biomass. The fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof may be produced by a combination of intermolecular and/or intramolecular aldol condensation reactions, Guerbet reactions, hydrogenation reactions, and/or oligomerization reactions.

Disclosed are processes and systems for making cyclohexanone from a mixture comprising phenol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexylbenzene, comprising a step of or a device for subjecting at least a portion of the mixture to hydrogenation and a step of or a device for distilling a phenol/cyclohexanone/cyclohexylbenzene mixture to obtain an effluent rich in cyclohexanone.

This application relates to the production of functionalized lower hydrocarbons and more particularly to the process of converting ethanol to functionalized lower hydrocarbons. In particular embodiments, the ethanol to functionalized lower hydrocarbon conversion is catalyzed by a Zn.sub.xZr.sub.yA.sub.vQ.sub.sMn.sub.wO.sub.z mixed oxide catalyst or a bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst. In particular embodiments, the ethanol to be converted is present at molar concentrations in the reactor feed equal to or exceeding 14%.

This application relates to the production of functionalized lower hydrocarbons and more particularly to the process of converting ethanol to functionalized lower hydrocarbons. In particular embodiments, the ethanol to functionalized lower hydrocarbon conversion is catalyzed by a Zn.sub.xZr.sub.yA.sub.vQ.sub.sMn.sub.wO.sub.z mixed oxide catalyst or a bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst. In particular embodiments, the ethanol to be converted is present at molar concentrations in the reactor feed equal to or exceeding 14%.

Disclosed herein is a composite comprising a graphene oxide and a nanodiamond that is chemically bonded on a surface of the graphene oxide.

Provided are a complex prepared from ammonium salt-containing ligands and having such an equilibrium structural formula that the metal center takes a negative charge of 2 or higher, and a method for preparing polycarbonate via copolymerization of an epoxide compound and carbon dioxide using the complex as a catalyst. When the complex is used as a catalyst for copolymerizing an epoxide compound and carbon dioxide, it shows high activity and high selectivity and provides high-molecular weight polycarbonate, and thus easily applicable to commercial processes. In addition, after forming polycarbonate via carbon dioxide/epoxide copolymerization using the complex as a catalyst, the catalyst may be separately recovered from the copolymer.

Provided are a complex prepared from ammonium salt-containing ligands and having such an equilibrium structural formula that the metal center takes a negative charge of 2 or higher, and a method for preparing polycarbonate via copolymerization of an epoxide compound and carbon dioxide using the complex as a catalyst. When the complex is used as a catalyst for copolymerizing an epoxide compound and carbon dioxide, it shows high activity and high selectivity and provides high-molecular weight polycarbonate, and thus easily applicable to commercial processes. In addition, after forming polycarbonate via carbon dioxide/epoxide copolymerization using the complex as a catalyst, the catalyst may be separately recovered from the copolymer.

The invention relates to a method for producing 2,3,5-trimethyl benzoquinone or a compound containing 2,3,5-trimethyl benzoquinone, the method comprising the following steps: Oxidation of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol with oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas in a two- or multi-phase reaction medium in the presence of a catalyst or catalyst system containing at least one copper (II)-halide to a mixture containing 2,3,5-trimethyl benzoquinone, characterized in that the reaction medium contains water and at least one secondary aliphatic acyclic alcohol having 6 or more, preferably 7 or more, carbon atoms.

Provided are a terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound useful as an intermediate for producing a terminal conjugated trienal compound, and a method for producing a terminal conjugated trienal compound through deprotection of the terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound. More specifically, provided are a terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound represented by General Formula (1); a method for producing a (Z,E)-terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound, the method comprising the step of: reacting a phosphonium salt represented by General Formula (7) with (E)-2,4-pentadienal through Wittig reaction to obtain a (Z,E)-terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound represented by General Formula (3); and a method for producing a terminal conjugated trienal compound, the method comprising the step of: deprotecting the terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound represented by General Formula (1) to obtain a terminal conjugated trienal compound represented by General Formula (2).

##STR00001##

Provided are a terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound useful as an intermediate for producing a terminal conjugated trienal compound, and a method for producing a terminal conjugated trienal compound through deprotection of the terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound. More specifically, provided are a terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound represented by General Formula (1); a method for producing a (Z,E)-terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound, the method comprising the step of: reacting a phosphonium salt represented by General Formula (7) with (E)-2,4-pentadienal through Wittig reaction to obtain a (Z,E)-terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound represented by General Formula (3); and a method for producing a terminal conjugated trienal compound, the method comprising the step of: deprotecting the terminal conjugated trienal acetal compound represented by General Formula (1) to obtain a terminal conjugated trienal compound represented by General Formula (2).

##STR00001##