Ethylene glycol is prepared from a carbohydrate source by reaction of the carbohydrate source with hydrogen in a continuous process, wherein hydrogen, the carbohydrate source and a liquid diluent are continuously fed into a continuous stirred tank reactor wherein a catalyst system is present, which catalyst system comprises a tungsten compound and at least one hydrogenolysis metal selected from the groups 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, to achieve the reaction between the carbohydrate source and hydrogen to ethylene glycol; wherein continuously a product mixture comprising ethylene glycol and diluent is removed from the continuous stirred tank reactor; and wherein continuously or periodically further at least a tungsten compound is added to the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR).

Ethylene glycol is prepared from a carbohydrate source by reaction of the carbohydrate source with hydrogen in a continuous process, wherein hydrogen, the carbohydrate source and a liquid diluent are continuously fed into a continuous stirred tank reactor wherein a catalyst system is present, which catalyst system comprises a tungsten compound and at least one hydrogenolysis metal selected from the groups 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, to achieve the reaction between the carbohydrate source and hydrogen to ethylene glycol; wherein continuously a product mixture comprising ethylene glycol and diluent is removed from the continuous stirred tank reactor; and wherein continuously or periodically further at least a tungsten compound is added to the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR).

A method for forming a desired hydrocarbon fuel product from a mixed oxygenate feedstock by utilizing chemical processes to form ketones from the oxygenate feed, upgrade the ketones, recycle selected upgraded ketones through the upgrading process to obtain a desired intermediate and hydrogenating the desired intermediate to obtain the desired hydrocarbon fuel product. In various alternative configurations and embodiments this can be accomplished in a number of ways, and originate in a number of different positions and occasions.

A method for forming a desired hydrocarbon fuel product from a mixed oxygenate feedstock by utilizing chemical processes to form ketones from the oxygenate feed, upgrade the ketones, recycle selected upgraded ketones through the upgrading process to obtain a desired intermediate and hydrogenating the desired intermediate to obtain the desired hydrocarbon fuel product. In various alternative configurations and embodiments this can be accomplished in a number of ways, and originate in a number of different positions and occasions.

Gold (I) complexes that can absorb light in the near-UV and/or visible regions and methods of making and using thereof are described. These gold (I) complexes have photochemical reactivities, such as strong absorption of near-UV and/or visible light, quenching rate constants ≥3.5×10.sup.5 s.sup.−1, etc., that allow them to catalyze photoredox reactions, such as homocoupling of organic halides (e.g. alkyl halides and aryl halides), alkylation of 2-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, cyclization of indoles, reductive dehalogenation of aryl halides, and/or C—H bonds cleavage, under near-UV and/or visible light. The product of a photo-induced organic reaction catalyzed by the gold (I) complexes described herein can have a yield that is higher than the yield of the same product formed from the same reaction under the same reaction conditions, using the same loading or a higher loading of [Au.sub.2(μ-dppm).sub.2](Cl).sub.2, [Ru(bpy).sub.3](Cl).sub.2, and/or [fac-Ir(ppy).sub.3] compared to the loading of the one or more gold (I) complex(es).

The use of a metal complex containing a ruthenium ion or an osmium ion, and a tridentate aminodicarbene ligand, the tridentate aminodicarbene ligand having one secondary amino group and two specific heterocyclic carbene groups sandwiching the amino group, enables hydrogenation reduction of carbonyl compounds, such as ketones, carboxylic acid esters, lactones, carboxylic acid amides, and lactams, and imine compounds under relatively mild conditions to produce corresponding alcohols, amines, and the like in a high yield with high catalytic efficiency. The metal complex is obtained by a method comprising steps of reacting a specific metal compound with a specific aminodicarbene precursor and subsequently reacting a specific compound. Reduction of a carbonyl compound or an imine compound in the presence of this metal complex using a hydrogen donor makes it possible to reduce the carbonyl compound or imine compound by hydrogenation.

The use of a metal complex containing a ruthenium ion or an osmium ion, and a tridentate aminodicarbene ligand, the tridentate aminodicarbene ligand having one secondary amino group and two specific heterocyclic carbene groups sandwiching the amino group, enables hydrogenation reduction of carbonyl compounds, such as ketones, carboxylic acid esters, lactones, carboxylic acid amides, and lactams, and imine compounds under relatively mild conditions to produce corresponding alcohols, amines, and the like in a high yield with high catalytic efficiency. The metal complex is obtained by a method comprising steps of reacting a specific metal compound with a specific aminodicarbene precursor and subsequently reacting a specific compound. Reduction of a carbonyl compound or an imine compound in the presence of this metal complex using a hydrogen donor makes it possible to reduce the carbonyl compound or imine compound by hydrogenation.

A method for synthesizing a hydrocarbon by reducing carbon dioxide in water, said method comprising supplying oxygen to water containing carbon dioxide to generate oxygen nanobubbles, irradiating the water containing the oxygen nanobubbles with ultraviolet light in the presence of a photocatalyst to generate active oxygen, and reducing carbon dioxide in the presence of the active oxygen.

A method for synthesizing a hydrocarbon by reducing carbon dioxide in water, said method comprising supplying oxygen to water containing carbon dioxide to generate oxygen nanobubbles, irradiating the water containing the oxygen nanobubbles with ultraviolet light in the presence of a photocatalyst to generate active oxygen, and reducing carbon dioxide in the presence of the active oxygen.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a material of plant origin rich in phenolic acids, including at least one metal, including: preparing a material of plant origin chosen from: aquatic plants; materials rich in tannins; materials rich in lignin; and obtaining a material of plant origin, rich in phenolic acids, in which the ratio of the intensity of the vibration band of the C═O bond of the COOH group and the intensity of each of the vibration bands the aromatic ring determined in FT-IR is between 0.5 and 4. The material of plant origin is brought into contact with an effluent including from 0.1 to 1000 mg/l of at least one metal, thus obtaining a material of plant origin rich in phenolic acids including from 1 to 30% by weight of at least one metal relative to the total weight of the material.