A method for directly producing ethanol from syngas, carried out in three reaction zones, including: feeding a raw material containing syngas and dimethyl ether into a first reaction zone to contact with a solid acid catalyst, reacting; allowing the effluent from the first reaction zone to enter a second reaction zone to contact with a metal catalyst and react; separating the effluent from the second reaction zone to obtain product ethanol and by-product methanol; allowing by-product methanol to enter a third reaction zone to perform a dehydration reaction to obtain dimethyl ether, and allowing the obtained dimethyl ether to enter the first reaction zone to recycle the reaction. This provides a novel method for directly converting syngas to ethanol and an ethanol product can be directly produced by using syngas as a raw material.

This disclosure relates to ester compounds derived from neo-alcohol, lubricating oil base stocks comprising such ester compounds, lubricating oil compositions comprising such ester compounds, and method for making such compounds and/or base stocks. The lubricating oil base stocks comprising the ester compounds exhibit desirable lubricating properties such as polarity and oxidation stability.

This disclosure relates to ester compounds derived from neo-alcohol, lubricating oil base stocks comprising such ester compounds, lubricating oil compositions comprising such ester compounds, and method for making such compounds and/or base stocks. The lubricating oil base stocks comprising the ester compounds exhibit desirable lubricating properties such as polarity and oxidation stability.

A liquid phase selective oxidation process is described. The process involves the partial oxidation of alkanes to partially oxidized products. A lower alkane, a solvent, and a soluble metal catalyst are contacted in the presence of an oxidizing agent in a reaction zone under partial oxidation conditions to produce the partially oxidized products. The partially oxidized products include one or more of lower alkyl alcohols, lower alkyl ketones, and lower alkyl acetates. The soluble metal catalyst is a soluble metal salt of cobalt, manganese, chromium, titanium, copper, nickel, vanadium, iron, molybdenum, tin, cerium, zirconium, or combinations thereof, and the promoter comprises a bromine source, an imide source, or combinations thereof.

A liquid phase selective oxidation process is described. The process involves the partial oxidation of alkanes to partially oxidized products. A lower alkane, a solvent, and a soluble metal catalyst are contacted in the presence of an oxidizing agent in a reaction zone under partial oxidation conditions to produce the partially oxidized products. The partially oxidized products include one or more of lower alkyl alcohols, lower alkyl ketones, and lower alkyl acetates. The soluble metal catalyst is a soluble metal salt of cobalt, manganese, chromium, titanium, copper, nickel, vanadium, iron, molybdenum, tin, cerium, zirconium, or combinations thereof, and the promoter comprises a bromine source, an imide source, or combinations thereof.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of aqueous solutions of [1-.sup.13C]-hyperpolarized carboxylate containing molecules of diagnostic interest that comprises parahydrogenating with molecular parahydrogen unsaturated alkenyl or alkynyl esters of the concerned .sup.13C-carboxylate molecules.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of aqueous solutions of [1-.sup.13C]-hyperpolarized carboxylate containing molecules of diagnostic interest that comprises parahydrogenating with molecular parahydrogen unsaturated alkenyl or alkynyl esters of the concerned .sup.13C-carboxylate molecules.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of aqueous solutions of [1-.sup.13C]-hyperpolarized carboxylate containing molecules of diagnostic interest that comprises parahydrogenating with molecular parahydrogen unsaturated alkenyl or alkynyl esters of the concerned .sup.13C-carboxylate molecules.

A catalyst for the carbonylation of dimethyl ether to methyl acetate. The catalyst comprises a zeolite, such as a mordenite zeolite, at least one Group IB metal, such as copper, and/or at least one Group VIII metal, such as iron, and at least one Group IIB metal, such as zinc. Such a catalyst with combined metals provides enhanced catalytic activity, improved stability, and improved selectivity to methyl acetate, and does not require a halogen promoter, as compared to a metal-free or copper only zeolite.

A catalyst for the carbonylation of dimethyl ether to methyl acetate. The catalyst comprises a zeolite, such as a mordenite zeolite, at least one Group IB metal, such as copper, and/or at least one Group VIII metal, such as iron, and at least one Group IIB metal, such as zinc. Such a catalyst with combined metals provides enhanced catalytic activity, improved stability, and improved selectivity to methyl acetate, and does not require a halogen promoter, as compared to a metal-free or copper only zeolite.