A catalytic material comprising Ni supported on an oxidic support comprising Zr in oxidic form and Si in oxidic form, wherein the catalytic material comprises equal to or greater than 65 weight-% of Ni, calculated as elemental Ni, wherein the catalytic material exhibits a Ni:Zr atomic ratio in the range of from 8.5 to 50.0.

A catalytic material comprising Ni supported on an oxidic support comprising Zr in oxidic form and Si in oxidic form, wherein the catalytic material comprises equal to or greater than 65 weight-% of Ni, calculated as elemental Ni, wherein the catalytic material exhibits a Ni:Zr atomic ratio in the range of from 8.5 to 50.0.

A catalytic material comprising Ni supported on an oxidic support comprising Zr in oxidic form and Si in oxidic form, wherein the catalytic material comprises equal to or greater than 65 weight-% of Ni, calculated as elemental Ni, wherein the catalytic material exhibits a Ni:Zr atomic ratio in the range of from 8.5 to 50.0.

Disclosed is a process for performing a chemical reaction selected from reductive amination and hydrogenation of a first functional group in an organic feed substrate, which feed substrate comprises at least one further functional group containing a halogen atom, wherein the halogen atom is selected from the list consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, and combinations thereof, in the presence of hydrogen and a heterogeneous catalyst comprising at least one metal from the list of Pd, Rh, and Ru, together with at least a second metal from the list consisting of Ag, Ni, Co, Sn, Cu and Au. The process is preferably applied for the reductive amination of 2-chloro-benzaldehyde to form 2-chloro-benzyldimethylamine, as an intermediate in the production of agrochemically active compounds and microbiocides of the methoximinophenylglyoxylic ester series. Further disclosed is a composition rich in 2-chloro-benzyldimethylamine, further comprising an amount of 2-chloro-benzyl alcohol and being low in chlorotoluene isomers.

Surface hydroxyl groups on porous and nonporous metal oxides, such as silica gel and alumina, were metalated with catalyst precursors, such as complexes of earth abundant metals (e.g., Fe, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mn and Mg). The metalated metal oxide catalysts provide a versatile family of recyclable and reusable single-site solid catalysts for catalyzing a variety of organic transformations. The catalysts can also be integrated into a flow reactor or a supercritical fluid reactor.

Surface hydroxyl groups on porous and nonporous metal oxides, such as silica gel and alumina, were metalated with catalyst precursors, such as complexes of earth abundant metals (e.g., Fe, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mn and Mg). The metalated metal oxide catalysts provide a versatile family of recyclable and reusable single-site solid catalysts for catalyzing a variety of organic transformations. The catalysts can also be integrated into a flow reactor or a supercritical fluid reactor.

A method of reducing a C—O bond to the corresponding C—H bond in a substrate, which could be a benzylic alcohol, allylic alcohol, ester or an ether bond beta to a hydroxyl group or alpha to a carbonyl group using a recyclable metal catalyst system. The recyclable catalyst system is also applicable to reducing a C═O bond to the corresponding C—OH bond and then C—H bond. These methodologies can be linked in one-pot to selective oxidation and depolymerizations of aromatic polyols such as lignin.

A method of reducing a C—O bond to the corresponding C—H bond in a substrate, which could be a benzylic alcohol, allylic alcohol, ester or an ether bond beta to a hydroxyl group or alpha to a carbonyl group using a recyclable metal catalyst system. The recyclable catalyst system is also applicable to reducing a C═O bond to the corresponding C—OH bond and then C—H bond. These methodologies can be linked in one-pot to selective oxidation and depolymerizations of aromatic polyols such as lignin.

The present invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of 9-dichloromethylene-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,4-methano-naphthalen-5-ylamine which process comprises a) reacting cyclopentadiene in the presence of a radical initiator and CXCl.sub.3, wherein X is chloro or bromo, to a compound of formula II ##STR00001## aa) reacting cyclopentadiene with CXCl.sub.3, wherein X is chloro, in the presence of a metal catalyst to a compound of formula II ##STR00002## wherein X is chloro, b) reacting the compound of formula II with a base in the presence of an appropriate solvent to the compound of formula III ##STR00003## c) and converting the compound of formula III in the presence of 1,2-dehydro-6-nitrobenzene to the compound of formula IV ##STR00004## and d) hydrogenating the compound of formula IV in the presence of a metal catalyst.

A catalytic membrane composite that includes porous supported catalyst particles durably enmeshed in a porous fibrillated polymer membrane is provided. The porous fibrillated polymer membrane may be manipulated to take the form of a tube, disc, or diced tape and used in multiphase reaction systems. The supported catalyst particles are composed of at least one finely divided metal catalyst dispersed on a porous support substrate. High catalytic activity is gained by the effective fine dispersion of the finely divided metal catalyst such that the metal catalyst covers the support substrate and/or is interspersed in the pores of the support substrate. In some embodiments, the catalytic membrane composite may be introduced to a stirred tank autoclave reactor system, a continuous flow reactor system, or a Parr Shaker reaction system and used to effect the catalytic reaction.