A nanocomposite catalyst includes a support, a multiplicity of nanoscale metal oxide clusters coupled to the support, and one or more metal atoms coupled to each of the nanoscale metal oxide clusters. Fabricating a nanocomposite catalyst includes forming nanoscale metal oxide clusters including a first metal on a support, and depositing one or more metal atoms including a second metal on the nanoscale metal oxide clusters. The nanocomposite catalyst is suitable for catalyzing reactions such as CO oxidation, water-gas-shift, reforming of CO.sub.2 and methanol, and oxidation of natural gas.

The invention relates to novel, scalable synthetic routes that allow for direct reduction of enones to the corresponding saturated alcohols. The invention relates, in certain aspects, to synthetic routes that allow for the reduction of enones to the corresponding ketones. Such reactions take place under mild conditions, are compatible with a wide range of functional groups, and expand the repertoire of existing green chemistry methodology. In certain embodiments, the reactions are run in aqueous solvent.

The invention relates to novel, scalable synthetic routes that allow for direct reduction of enones to the corresponding saturated alcohols. The invention relates, in certain aspects, to synthetic routes that allow for the reduction of enones to the corresponding ketones. Such reactions take place under mild conditions, are compatible with a wide range of functional groups, and expand the repertoire of existing green chemistry methodology. In certain embodiments, the reactions are run in aqueous solvent.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a coked catalyst and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a coked catalyst and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.

A supported catalyst for preparing light olefin using direct conversion of syngas is a composite catalyst and formed by compounding component I and component II in a mechanical mixing mode. The active ingredient of component I is a metal oxide; and the component II is a supported zeolite. A carrier is one or more than one of hierarchical pores Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2, MgO and Ga.sub.2O.sub.3; the zeolite is one or more than one of CHA and AEI structures; and the load of the zeolite is 4%-45% wt. A weight ratio of the active ingredients in the component I to the component II is 0.1-20. The reaction process has an extremely high light olefin selectivity; the sum of the selectivity of the light olefin comprising ethylene, propylene and butylene can reach 50-90%, while the selectivity of a methane side product is less than 7%.

A supported catalyst for preparing light olefin using direct conversion of syngas is a composite catalyst and formed by compounding component I and component II in a mechanical mixing mode. The active ingredient of component I is a metal oxide; and the component II is a supported zeolite. A carrier is one or more than one of hierarchical pores Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2, MgO and Ga.sub.2O.sub.3; the zeolite is one or more than one of CHA and AEI structures; and the load of the zeolite is 4%-45% wt. A weight ratio of the active ingredients in the component I to the component II is 0.1-20. The reaction process has an extremely high light olefin selectivity; the sum of the selectivity of the light olefin comprising ethylene, propylene and butylene can reach 50-90%, while the selectivity of a methane side product is less than 7%.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce coked catalyst particles and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles with a reducing gas to produce regenerated and reduced catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized regenerated and reduced catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce coked catalyst particles and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles with a reducing gas to produce regenerated and reduced catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized regenerated and reduced catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.

Provided is a preparation method for a cyclohexane dimethanol (CHDM), which can have a high trans content through particular conditions, additive addition, or reactant addition, which is controlled in a cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid (CHDA) hydrogenation reaction, and a cyclohexane dimethanol prepared thereby.