The present invention discloses a process to treat a ferrite based catalyst useful in the oxidative dehydrogenation of monololefins and diolefins which process includes a preheat step prior to use of the catalyst in the OXO-D reactor. The catalyst is preferably a zinc ferrite catalyst for the production of butadiene. It has been observed that substantially no nitrogen oxide emissions result from the use of this treated catalyst in the reactor unit during the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction.

A catalyst structure includes a plurality of metal oxides formed on a support, where the support includes zirconia and/or silica. The metal oxides include at least three metals selected from the group consisting of chromium, iron, nickel, and a platinum group metal. The catalyst structure can be used in an oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) reaction process for converting an alkane to an olefin. In some embodiments, carbon dioxide utilized in the ODH reaction process is obtained from a flue gas derived from a fossil fuel burning power plant.

The present disclosure relates to methods, processes, and systems for utilizing the dehydrogenation of 2-butanol for hydrogen consuming reactions of biomass or biomass-derived molecules. The present invention relates to methods, processes, and systems for utilizing the dehydrogenation of 2-butanol for hydrogen consuming hydrogenation, hydrogenolysis, or hydrodeoxygenation reactions of biomass or biomass-derived molecules.

In one embodiment, the present application discloses methods to selectively synthesize higher alcohols and hydrocarbons useful as fuels and industrial chemicals from syngas and biomass. Ketene and ketonization chemistry along with hydrogenation reactions are used to synthesize fuels and chemicals. In another embodiment, ketene used to form fuels and chemicals may be manufactured from acetic acid which in turn can be synthesized from synthesis gas which is produced from coal, biomass, natural gas, etc.

The present disclosure relates to methods, processes, and systems for utilizing the dehydrogenation of 2-butanol for hydrogen consuming reactions of biomass or biomass-derived molecules. The present invention relates to methods, processes, and systems for utilizing the dehydrogenation of 2-butanol for hydrogen consuming hydrogenation, hydrogenolysis, or hydrodeoxygenation reactions of biomass or biomass-derived molecules.

The present invention discloses a process to treat a ferrite based catalyst useful in the oxidative dehydrogenation of monololefins and diolefins which process includes a preheat step prior to use of the catalyst in the OXO-D reactor. The catalyst is preferably a zinc ferrite catalyst for the production of butadiene. It has been observed that substantially no nitrogen oxide emissions result from the use of this treated catalyst in the reactor unit during the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction.

The present disclosure provides a dehydrogenation catalyst composition and methods for making and using it. One aspect provides a dehydrogenation catalyst composition comprising a zinc-doped alumina carrier; and associated with the carrier, chromium, tin, zirconium and alkali metal, wherein the catalyst composition comprises: aluminum in an amount in the range of 51-88 wt %, calculated on an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 basis; zinc in an amount in the range of 0.1-10 wt %, calculated on a ZnO basis; chromium in an amount of 12-30 wt %, calculated on a Cr.sub.2O.sub.3 basis; tin in an amount in the range of 0.005-2 wt %, calculated on a SnO.sub.2 basis; zirconium in an amount in the range of 0.1-2 wt %, calculated on a ZrO.sub.2 basis; and alkali metal in an amount in the range of 0.1-5 wt %, calculated on a M.sub.2O basis.

Disclosed herein is a method for converting ethanol to 1,3-butadiene, wherein the method utilizes H.sub.2 produced during a first step of the method for subsequent conversions involved in the method. In particular aspects, H.sub.2 produced from converting ethanol to acetaldehyde is used to promote the conversion of the acetaldehyde to 1,3-butadiene. The H.sub.2 promotes enhanced catalyst stability, as well as enhanced selectivity and yields of the 1,3-butadiene product. In particular aspects, the method comprises two steps to produce the 1,3-butadiene from the ethanol and H.sub.2 produced from a first step facilitates enhanced selectivities and yields for the second step.

Disclosed herein are aspects of a method for converting an oxygenate feedstock into an olefin-rich product. In some aspects, the method comprises exposing an oxygenate feedstock to a tantalum catalyst composition to form an olefin-rich product. In some aspects, the tantalum catalyst composition comprises tantalum and a support comprising (i) aluminum and/or silicon, and (ii) oxygen.