The metal-catalyzed alkoxycarbonylation of a lactone is a method of alkoxycarbonylating a -lactone, specifically 3-ethylidene-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one. The method includes combining the -lactone with an alcohol in an organic solvent in the presence of a catalyst system that includes palladium or a salt thereof to form a reaction mixture, which is heated to 110-130 C. at a pressure of 20-50 bar for between 3-5 hours under flow of carbon monoxide gas. The product of the reaction is a substituted 2-octendioate diester. The alcohol may be methyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, isobutyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or phenol. The solvent may be toluene, acetonitrile, or tetrahydrofuran. The method may include adding an acid to the reaction mixture, which may be dilute (about 5 mol %) sulfuric or p-toluenesulfonic acid. The catalyst system may also include a phosphine ligand.

The metal-catalyzed alkoxycarbonylation of a lactone is a method of alkoxycarbonylating a -lactone, specifically 3-ethylidene-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one. The method includes combining the -lactone with an alcohol in an organic solvent in the presence of a catalyst system that includes palladium or a salt thereof to form a reaction mixture, which is heated to 110-130 C. at a pressure of 20-50 bar for between 3-5 hours under flow of carbon monoxide gas. The product of the reaction is a substituted 2-octendioate diester. The alcohol may be methyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, isobutyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or phenol. The solvent may be toluene, acetonitrile, or tetrahydrofuran. The method may include adding an acid to the reaction mixture, which may be dilute (about 5 mol %) sulfuric or p-toluenesulfonic acid. The catalyst system may also include a phosphine ligand.

Processes are disclosed for the conversion of 1,6-hexanediol to adipic acid employing a chemocatalytic reaction in which 1,6-hexanediol is reacted with oxygen in the presence of particular heterogeneous catalysts including at least one of platinum or gold. The metals are preferably provided on a support selected from the group of titania, stabilized titania, zirconia, stabilized zirconia, silica or mixtures thereof, most preferably zirconia stabilized with tungsten. The reaction with oxygen is carried out at a temperature from about 100? C. to about 300? C. and at a partial pressure of oxygen from about 50 psig to about 2000 psig.

High-purity dibasic acid compositions are generally disclosed. In some embodiments, the dibasic acid compositions are solutions or suspensions. In some other embodiments, the compositions are solid-state compositions. In some such embodiments, the solid-state compositions include a dibasic acid as a crystalline solid and further include a low quantity of certain impurities, such as monobasic acids, various esters, and the like. Methods and systems for making such high-purity dibasic acid compositions are also disclosed.

A catalyst for dehydration reaction of hydroxypropionic acid and derivatives thereof, and a preparation method thereof. The catalyst includes a molded body in which primary particles of hydroxyapatite are aggregated, wherein a volume average particle size of the primary particles is 15 m to 150 m, and a P value represented by the following Equation 1 is 3.5 to 19:

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}P=A*B/C& \left[\mathrm{Equation}1\right]\end{array}$

wherein in Equation 1. A represents the volume average particle size (m) value of powder, B represents a crush strength (N) value, and C represents a specific surface area (m.sup.2/g) value. The catalyst has very excellent life characteristics while exhibiting a high reaction yield and selectivity.

A catalyst for dehydration reaction of hydroxypropionic acid and derivatives thereof, and a preparation method thereof. The catalyst includes a molded body in which primary particles of hydroxyapatite are aggregated, wherein a volume average particle size of the primary particles is 15 m to 150 m, and a P value represented by the following Equation 1 is 3.5 to 19:

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}P=A*B/C& \left[\mathrm{Equation}1\right]\end{array}$

wherein in Equation 1. A represents the volume average particle size (m) value of powder, B represents a crush strength (N) value, and C represents a specific surface area (m.sup.2/g) value. The catalyst has very excellent life characteristics while exhibiting a high reaction yield and selectivity.