The invention relates to a process for manufacturing 2,3-butanediol by hydrogenation of acetoin using a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst and under conditions leading to a selectivity higher than 90%. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of no solvent or in the presence of a solvent like water or 2,3-butanediol.

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing 2,3-butanediol by hydrogenation of acetoin using a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst and under conditions leading to a selectivity higher than 90%. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of no solvent or in the presence of a solvent like water or 2,3-butanediol.

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing 2,3-butanediol by hydrogenation of acetoin using a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst and under conditions leading to a selectivity higher than 90%. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of no solvent or in the presence of a solvent like water or 2,3-butanediol.

The invention relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols by means of catalytic dehydration. More in particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing at least one olefin by dehydrating at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms comprised between 2 and 6, preferably comprised between 2 and 4, more preferably at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms of 3, even more preferably 2-propanol, in the presence of a catalytic material comprising at least one large pore zeolite in acid form, or predominantly acid form, preferably selected from the group consisting of zeolites having BEA structure, MTW structure and mixtures thereof, and preferably at least one inorganic binder, more preferably alumina. Preferably, the olefin has the same number of carbon atoms as the starting alcohol. Furthermore, preferably the olefin does not contain conjugated double bonds and more preferably the olefin is a mono-olefin. Subject matter of the present invention is also the use of the aforementioned olefin in an alkylation process of aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular the use of propylene for alkylating benzene to provide cumene. The aforementioned cumene can be used in an integrated process for preparing phenol and acetone, in accordance with the Hock method, wherein acetone can be reduced to 2-propanol, to be recycled to the process of the invention to obtain propylene again.

The invention relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols by means of catalytic dehydration. More in particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing at least one olefin by dehydrating at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms comprised between 2 and 6, preferably comprised between 2 and 4, more preferably at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms of 3, even more preferably 2-propanol, in the presence of a catalytic material comprising at least one large pore zeolite in acid form, or predominantly acid form, preferably selected from the group consisting of zeolites having BEA structure, MTW structure and mixtures thereof, and preferably at least one inorganic binder, more preferably alumina. Preferably, the olefin has the same number of carbon atoms as the starting alcohol. Furthermore, preferably the olefin does not contain conjugated double bonds and more preferably the olefin is a mono-olefin. Subject matter of the present invention is also the use of the aforementioned olefin in an alkylation process of aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular the use of propylene for alkylating benzene to provide cumene. The aforementioned cumene can be used in an integrated process for preparing phenol and acetone, in accordance with the Hock method, wherein acetone can be reduced to 2-propanol, to be recycled to the process of the invention to obtain propylene again.

The invention relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols by means of catalytic dehydration. More in particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing at least one olefin by dehydrating at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms comprised between 2 and 6, preferably comprised between 2 and 4, more preferably at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms of 3, even more preferably 2-propanol, in the presence of a catalytic material comprising at least one large pore zeolite in acid form, or predominantly acid form, preferably selected from the group consisting of zeolites having BEA structure, MTW structure and mixtures thereof, and preferably at least one inorganic binder, more preferably alumina. Preferably, the olefin has the same number of carbon atoms as the starting alcohol. Furthermore, preferably the olefin does not contain conjugated double bonds and more preferably the olefin is a mono-olefin. Subject matter of the present invention is also the use of the aforementioned olefin in an alkylation process of aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular the use of propylene for alkylating benzene to provide cumene. The aforementioned cumene can be used in an integrated process for preparing phenol and acetone, in accordance with the Hock method, wherein acetone can be reduced to 2-propanol, to be recycled to the process of the invention to obtain propylene again.

A process to make an alkylate base oil having a viscosity index greater than or equal to 90, comprising: a. converting an at least one dimeric ketone to an at least one alcohol; b. dehydrating the at least one alcohol to make one or more corresponding olefins; and c. alkylating at least one isoalkane with the one or more corresponding olefins to form the alkylate base oil.

A process to make an alkylate base oil having a viscosity index greater than or equal to 90, comprising: a. converting an at least one dimeric ketone to an at least one alcohol; b. dehydrating the at least one alcohol to make one or more corresponding olefins; and c. alkylating at least one isoalkane with the one or more corresponding olefins to form the alkylate base oil.

A process to make an alkylate base oil having a viscosity index greater than or equal to 90, comprising: a. converting an at least one dimeric ketone to an at least one alcohol; b. dehydrating the at least one alcohol to make one or more corresponding olefins; and c. alkylating at least one isoalkane with the one or more corresponding olefins to form the alkylate base oil.

A continuous process for converting carbohydrates to ethylene and propylene glycol. The carbohydrates are mixed with water and passed through a reactor at a temperature that hydrolyzes the carbohydrate mixture at least partially to monosaccharides. The reactor has a first zone comprising a retro-aldol catalyst and a second zone comprising a reducing catalyst. The aldose is converted in the first zone into glycolaldehyde by the retro-aldol catalyst and the glycolaldehyde, in the presence of hydrogen, is converted to ethylene glycol in the second zone of the reactor. The reaction products are removed from the reactor and the ethylene glycol is recovered. The selectivity to propylene glycol can be enhanced via feeding ketose as the carbohydrate.