A process for isomerizing an aromatic cut containing at least one aromatic compound containing eight carbon atoms per molecule is described, comprising bringing said cut into contact with at least one catalyst comprising at least one metal from group VIII of the periodic classification of the elements, at least one zeolitic support comprising a zeolite selected from zeolites with structure type EUO and MOR, used alone or as a mixture, and at least one matrix, such that the specific surface area of the matrix in the zeolitic support of said catalyst is in the range 5 to 200 m.sup.2/g.

An alkylate base oil of biological origin and a process to make an alkylate base oil comprising: a) hydrogenating a farnesene to make a farnesane comprising from zero to less than 5 wt % unsaturated molecules; and b) alkylating the farnesane with one or more C6 to C43 olefins in the presence of an acidic alkylation catalyst to make the alkylate base oil having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. from 3 mm.sup.2/s to 20 mm.sup.2/s.

The present invention concerns a process (100) for the production of a butylene product (9) in which a component mixture (2) containing butane, butylene and hydrogen is provided using a butane dehydrogenation (10) to which a reaction feed (1) containing butane and hydrogen is subjected, the component mixture (2) or part thereof being subjected as a first separation feed to a first membrane separation (40), by means of which a first permeate (3) enriched in hydrogen with respect to the first separation feed and a first retentate (4) depleted in hydrogen with respect to the first separation feed and containing hydrogen, butane and butylene are formed, the first retentate (4) or part thereof being subjected to a second membrane separation (50) as a second separation feed, in which a second permeate (6) containing at least the predominant part of the hydrogen of the second separation feed and a second retentate containing at least the predominant part of the butane and the butylene of the second separation feed are formed, wherein the first membrane separation (40) is carried out using a sweep gas (5) containing butane and the first permeate (3) is obtained as permeate (3) charged with butane of the sweep gas (5) and/or the second membrane separation (50) is carried out using the sweep gas (5) containing butane and the second permeate (6) is obtained as permeate (6) charged with butane of the sweep gas (5), and wherein the first permeate (3) charged with butane of the sweep gas (5) and/or the second permeate (3) charged with butane of the sweep gas or one or more parts thereof is used in the formation of the reaction feed (1). A corresponding plant is also the subject of this invention.

Catalysts and method of preparing the catalysts are disclosed. One of the catalysts includes a zeolite support, a Group VIII metal on the zeolite support, and at least two halides bound to the zeolite support, to the Group VIII metal, or to both, and can have an average crush strength greater than 11.25 lb based on at least two samples of pellets of the catalyst measured in accordance with ASTM D4179.

A highly efficient method for the conversion of a natural product into the high density fuel RJ-4 with concomitant evolution of isobutylene for conversion to fuels and polymers, more specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to efficient methods for the conversion of the renewable, linear terpene alcohol, linalool into a drop-in, high density fuel suitable for ramjet or missile propulsion.

The present invention relates to a process of producing a metal-containing catalyst. The process involves mixing a support material with one or more metals in a solution to produce a catalyst comprising a metal-loaded support. The catalyst comprising a metal-loaded support is treated with an atmosphere comprising 0.01 to 100% carbon-containing agents and 0-100% hydrogen at a temperature of 50 to 500° C. to produce a treated metal-containing catalyst on a support. Also disclosed is the resulting treated metal-containing catalyst and its use in a process for converting propane to propylene.

Disclosed is a methanol and sulfuric acid co-production system capable of producing methanol and sulfuric acid in equal equivalents. Specifically, the system includes an oxidation reaction unit configured to produce methyl bisulfate (CH.sub.3OSO.sub.3H) by reacting methane gas with an acid solution in the presence of a catalyst, a reactive distillation unit disposed downstream of the oxidation reaction unit and configured to esterify methyl bisulfate (CH.sub.3OSO.sub.3H) supplied from the oxidation reaction unit with trifluoroacetic acid (CF.sub.3COOH) to obtain a product and to separate the product into methyl trifluoroacetate (CF.sub.3COOCH.sub.3) and sulfuric acid (H.sub.2SO.sub.4) through thermal distillation, and a hydrolysis reaction unit disposed downstream of the reactive distillation unit and configured to produce methanol by hydrolyzing methyl trifluoroacetate (CF.sub.3COOCH.sub.3) supplied from the reactive distillation unit, in which the reactive distillation unit recirculates the sulfuric acid resulting from separation to the oxidation reaction unit.

The invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising (a) a metal M selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), rhenium (Re), ruthenium (Ru) and iridium (Ir), (b) tin (Sn), (c) zinc (Zn), (d) alkaline earth metal and (e) a porous metal oxide catalyst support, wherein the amount of each of elements (a), (b) and (d) is independently chosen in the range of from 0.1 to 5 wt. % based on the porous metal oxide catalyst support and wherein the amount of element (c) is chosen in the range of from 0.1 to 2 wt. % based on the porous metal oxide catalyst support. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a process for the preparation of said catalyst composition and its use in non-oxidative dehydrogenation of an alkane, preferably propane.

A long life catalyst is provided that is conveniently and inexpensively capable of being produced and that is highly active and has inhibited metal leakage. According to aspects of the present invention, a catalyst is provided that includes: a polymer including a plurality of first structural units and a plurality of second structural units; and metal acting as a catalytic center, wherein at least part of the metal is covered with the polymer, each of the plurality of first structural units has a first atom constituting a main chain of the polymer and a first substituent group bonded to the first atom, a second atom included in each of the plurality of second structural units is bonded to the first atom, and the second atom is different from the first atom, or at least one of all substituent groups on the second atom is different from the first substituent group.

Disclosed is a process for the catalytic dehydrogenation of alkanes so as to form the corresponding olefins. The reaction mixture is subjected to membrane separation of hydrogen, in a separate unit. Preferably a plurality of alternating reaction and separation units is used. The process of the invention serves the purpose of reducing coke formation on the catalyst, and also of achieving a higher alkane conversion without a similar increase in coke formation. The process can also be used for the production of hydrogen.