Olefins and diolefins, such as 1,3-butiadiene, may be produced by a method utilizing a series of bromination and dehydrobromination reactions. Bromine may be reacted with n-butane to form dibromobutane. The dibromobutanes may be dehydrobrominating to form 1,3-butadiene. The method may include reacting butene with bromine to form bromobutenes, and dehydrobrominating the bromobutenes to form 1,3-butadiene. The method may include reacting butene with hydrogen bromide in the presence of oxygen to form bromobutenes, and dehydrobrominating the bromobutenes to form 1,3-butadiene. The method may include reacting butene with bromine to form dibromobutanes, and dehydrobrominating the dibromobutanes to form 1,3-butadiene.

Processes are described for isomerizing one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins to produce an isomerization mixture comprising one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 internal olefins comprising contacting an olefinic feed comprising the one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins with a catalyst under isomerization conditions, wherein the catalyst comprises a microporous crystalline aluminosilicate having an MWW framework. The resulting isomerization mixture typically exhibits a low pour point with maintained biodegradability properties as compared to the olefinic feed, and is particularly useful in drilling fluid and paper sizing compositions.

Processes are described for isomerizing one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins to produce an isomerization mixture comprising one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 internal olefins comprising contacting an olefinic feed comprising the one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins with a catalyst under isomerization conditions, wherein the catalyst comprises a microporous crystalline aluminosilicate having an MWW framework. The resulting isomerization mixture typically exhibits a low pour point with maintained biodegradability properties as compared to the olefinic feed, and is particularly useful in drilling fluid and paper sizing compositions.

Methods of producing 1-butene from a 2-butene-containing feedstock include feeding a hydrocarbon feed comprising 2-butene to a reactor, the reactor containing an isomerization catalyst and contacting the hydrocarbon feed with the isomerization catalyst in the reactor at a temperature from 150° C. to 350° C. to produce an isomerization reaction effluent comprising 1-butene. Further, the isomerization catalyst comprises a MCM-48 catalyst with WO.sub.3 incorporated into a silica framework of the MCM-48 catalyst.

Methods of producing 1-butene from a 2-butene-containing feedstock include feeding a hydrocarbon feed comprising 2-butene to a reactor, the reactor containing an isomerization catalyst and contacting the hydrocarbon feed with the isomerization catalyst in the reactor at a temperature from 150° C. to 350° C. to produce an isomerization reaction effluent comprising 1-butene. Further, the isomerization catalyst comprises a MCM-48 catalyst with WO.sub.3 incorporated into a silica framework of the MCM-48 catalyst.

A process is useful for the isomerization of C.sub.4 to C.sub.9 olefins having an internal double bond into the corresponding olefins having a terminal double bond using a heterogeneous catalyst system of a silicon-aluminium mixed oxide composition.

A method for producing linear monoolefins comprises a step of contacting a raw material composition containing a first linear monoolefin having 4 to 8 carbon atoms with an isomerization catalyst at 250 to 390° C. in the presence of 20 ppm by volume or more of molecular oxygen and/or 20 ppm by volume or more of water to perform an isomerization reaction for isomerizing at least a part of the first linear monoolefin to a second linear monoolefin having a different double bond position, wherein the catalyst contains zeolite.

A method for producing linear monoolefins comprises a step of contacting a raw material composition containing a first linear monoolefin having 4 to 8 carbon atoms with an isomerization catalyst at 250 to 390° C. in the presence of 20 ppm by volume or more of molecular oxygen and/or 20 ppm by volume or more of water to perform an isomerization reaction for isomerizing at least a part of the first linear monoolefin to a second linear monoolefin having a different double bond position, wherein the catalyst contains zeolite.

A process is useful for the isomerization of C.sub.4 to C.sub.9 olefins having an internal double bond into the corresponding olefins having a terminal double bond using a heterogeneous catalyst system of a silicon-aluminium mixed oxide composition.

Processes are described for isomerizing one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins to produce an isomerization mixture comprising one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 internal olefins comprising contacting an olefinic feed comprising the one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins with a catalyst under isomerization conditions, wherein the catalyst comprises a microporous crystalline aluminosilicate having an MWW framework. The resulting isomerization mixture typically exhibits a low pour point with maintained biodegradability properties as compared to the olefinic feed, and is particularly useful in drilling fluid and paper sizing compositions.