Provided herein is a unique process that prepares a saturated hydrocarbon mixture with well-controlled structural characteristics that address the performance requirements driven by the stricter environmental and fuel economy regulations for automotive engine oils. The process allows for the branching characteristics of the hydrocarbon molecules to be controlled so as to consistently provide a composition that has a surprising CCS viscosity at −35° C. (ASTM D5329) and Noack volatility (ASTM D5800) relationship. The process comprises providing a specific olefinic feedstock, oligomerizing in the presence of a BF.sub.3 catalyst, and hydroisomerizing in the presence of a noble-metal impregnated, 10-member ring zeolite catalyst.

Processes and multiple-stage catalyst systems are disclosed for producing propene by at least partially isomerizing butene in an isomerization reaction zone having an isomerization catalyst to form an isomerization reaction product, at least partially metathesizing the isomerization reaction product in a metathesis reaction zone having a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesis reaction product, and at least partially cracking the metathesis reaction product in a cracking reaction zone having a cracking catalyst. The isomerization catalyst may be MgO, and the metathesis catalyst may be a mesoporous silica catalyst support impregnated with a metal oxide. The metathesis reaction zone may be downstream of the isomerization reaction zone, and the cracking reaction zone may be downstream of the metathesis reaction zone.

Provided herein is a unique process that prepares a saturated hydrocarbon mixture with well-controlled structural characteristics that address the performance requirements driven by the stricter environmental and fuel economy regulations for automotive engine oils. The process allows for the branching characteristics of the hydrocarbon molecules to be controlled so as to consistently provide a composition that has a surprising CCS viscosity at 35 C. (ASTM D5329) and Noack volatility (ASTM D5800) relationship. The process comprises providing a specific olefinic feedstock, oligomerizing in the presence of a BF.sub.3 catalyst, and hydroisomerizing in the presence of a noble-metal impregnated, 10-member ring zeolite catalyst.

A system and method for efficiently and sustainably producing propylene and acrylonitrile is disclosed which utilizes biodegradable materials, combustible materials that produce carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide. According to one embodiment of the invention, a source of carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide is utilized and the carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide is electrochemically reduced to ethylene. Dimerization is applied to separate the ethylene to produce 1-butene; which is isomerized to produce 2-butene. The 2-butene is metathesized to produce propylene. The propylene may then be subject to ammoxidation as desired in order to produce acrylonitrile.

A system and method for efficiently and sustainably producing propylene and acrylonitrile is disclosed which utilizes biodegradable materials, combustible materials that produce carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide. According to one embodiment of the invention, a source of carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide is utilized and the carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide is electrochemically reduced to ethylene. Dimerization is applied to separate the ethylene to produce 1-butene; which is isomerized to produce 2-butene. The 2-butene is metathesized to produce propylene. The propylene may then be subject to ammoxidation as desired in order to produce acrylonitrile.

The use of lycopene has been demonstrated to be effective in decreasing risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, skin cancer and prostate cancer in mammals. Lycopene is difficult to solubilize in its native trans-lycopene form. Cis-lycopene, formed by applying thermal energy generated by excitation of polar molecules through microwave-assisted processing, appears in several isomeric forms. The cis isomers are effective in improving lycopene micellularization, bioaccessibility and mammalian absorption. The cis isomers are effective in improving vascular circulation of lycopene by way transport vesicle low density lipo-protein (LDL). Lycopene-based ingredients, end products, functional foods, medical foods and nutraceuticals, containing isomerized cis-lycopene can be used in place of ingredients with more naturally abundant trans-lycopene as phytonutrient, micronutrient and antioxidant delivery vehicles through dietary consumption to improve the outcomes of a variety of conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, skin cancer, prostate cancer, macular degeneration and related proinflammatory conditions.

The use of lycopene has been demonstrated to be effective in decreasing risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, skin cancer and prostate cancer in mammals. Lycopene is difficult to solubilize in its native trans-lycopene form. Cis-lycopene, formed by applying thermal energy generated by excitation of polar molecules through microwave-assisted processing, appears in several isomeric forms. The cis isomers are effective in improving lycopene micellularization, bioaccessibility and mammalian absorption. The cis isomers are effective in improving vascular circulation of lycopene by way transport vesicle low density lipo-protein (LDL). Lycopene-based ingredients, end products, functional foods, medical foods and nutraceuticals, containing isomerized cis-lycopene can be used in place of ingredients with more naturally abundant trans-lycopene as phytonutrient, micronutrient and antioxidant delivery vehicles through dietary consumption to improve the outcomes of a variety of conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, skin cancer, prostate cancer, macular degeneration and related proinflammatory conditions.

Processes for the production of high purity isobutylene are disclosed. The processes may include supplying a mixed C4 feed stream to a catalytic distillation column, which may contain a butene isomerization catalyst. 1-butene is isomerized to 2-butene and concurrently in the catalytic distillation column the 2-butene is separated from the isobutane and isobutylene. The overheads fraction comprising the isobutane and isobutylene is then condensed in an overheads system and fed to a splitter, where the isobutane is separated from the isobutylene. The process further includes operating the catalytic distillation column at an overheads temperature greater than a bottoms temperature of the splitter, and heating a portion of the splitter bottoms stream via indirect heat exchange with at least a portion of the catalytic distillation column overheads fraction, thereby producing a heated bottoms stream (reboil vapor) fed to the splitter and a cooled overheads fraction.

Processes are described for isomerizing one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins to produce an isomerization mixture comprising one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 internal olefins comprising contacting an olefinic feed comprising the one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins with a catalyst under isomerization conditions, wherein the catalyst comprises a microporous crystalline aluminosilicate having an MWW framework. The resulting isomerization mixture typically exhibits a low pour point with maintained biodegradability properties as compared to the olefinic feed, and is particularly useful in drilling fluid and paper sizing compositions.

A process for the double-bond isomerization of olefins is disclosed. The process may include contacting a hydrocarbon stream including olefins with a -alumina-titania isomerization catalyst to convert at least a portion of the olefin to its positional isomer. The -alumina-titanic isomerization catalysts disclosed herein may also have the activity to convert alcohol into additional olefins, while having increased resistance to oxygenate poisons.