Provided is a method for producing isobutylene with a high selectivity by a dehydration reaction of isobutanol. There are provided a method for producing isobutylene by dehydration of isobutanol, in which the dehydration of isobutanol is performed in a state where at least one of an organic acid and an organic acid ester is present in a reaction system, and methods for producing methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate from the obtained isobutylene.

Provided is a method for producing isobutylene with a high selectivity by a dehydration reaction of isobutanol. There are provided a method for producing isobutylene by dehydration of isobutanol, in which the dehydration of isobutanol is performed in a state where at least one of an organic acid and an organic acid ester is present in a reaction system, and methods for producing methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate from the obtained isobutylene.

Provided is a method for producing isobutylene with a high selectivity by a dehydration reaction of isobutanol. There are provided a method for producing isobutylene by dehydration of isobutanol, in which the dehydration of isobutanol is performed in a state where at least one of an organic acid and an organic acid ester is present in a reaction system, and methods for producing methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate from the obtained isobutylene.

Provided is a method for producing isobutylene with a high selectivity by a dehydration reaction of isobutanol. There are provided a method for producing isobutylene by dehydration of isobutanol, in which the dehydration of isobutanol is performed in a state where at least one of an organic acid and an organic acid ester is present in a reaction system, and methods for producing methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate from the obtained isobutylene.

The present invention relates to novel Ruthenium complexes and related borohydride complexes, and their use for (1) hydrogenation of amides (including polyamides) to alcohols and amines; (2) preparing amides from alcohols with amines (including preparing polyamides (e.g., polypeptides) by reacting dialcohols and diamines or by polymerization of amino alcohols); (3) hydrogenation of esters to alcohols (including hydrogenation of cyclic esters (lactones), cyclic di-esters (di-lactones) or polyesters); (4) hydrogenation of organic carbonates (including polycarbonates) to alcohols and of carbamates (including polycarbamates) or urea derivatives to alcohols and amines; (5) dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols to esters; (6) hydrogenation of secondary alcohols to ketones; (7) amidation of esters (synthesis of amides from esters and amines); (8) acylation of alcohols using esters; (9) coupling of alcohols with water to form carboxylic acids; and (10) dehydrogenation of beta-amino alcohols to form pyrazines. The present invention further relates to novel uses of certain pyridine Ruthenium complexes.

The invention relates to a method for synthesizing glycolic acid or one of the salts thereof, including the following step: placing glycerol and an oxidizing agent in contact with one another in a reaction medium in the presence of a silver-based catalyst on a substrate, said substrate including a material selected from the group consisting of CeO.sub.2, basic Al.sub.2O.sub.3 optionally doped with a calcium or cerium oxide, an amphoteric resin, ZrO.sub.2, and a mixture of said materials. The invention also relates to the use of a silver-based catalyst on a substrate that can be used in said method.

The invention relates to a method for synthesizing glycolic acid or one of the salts thereof, including the following step: placing glycerol and an oxidizing agent in contact with one another in a reaction medium in the presence of a silver-based catalyst on a substrate, said substrate including a material selected from the group consisting of CeO.sub.2, basic Al.sub.2O.sub.3 optionally doped with a calcium or cerium oxide, an amphoteric resin, ZrO.sub.2, and a mixture of said materials. The invention also relates to the use of a silver-based catalyst on a substrate that can be used in said method.