An anionic surfactant of general formula (I) in which n and m are, independently of one another, numbers from 0 to 17 and 2<n+m<20, and X.sup.+ is a charge-balancing cation. The invention also relates to a production method by way of: the acid-catalysed reaction of 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl) tetrahydrofuran with an alkene having 5 to 22 C atoms in equimolar amounts, at an increased temperature; subsequent sulphation with a sulphating agent; and optional neutralisation by a subsequent reaction with

##STR00001##

X.sup.+OH.sup. or X.sup.+.sub.2CO.sup.2.sub.3, where X.sup.+ is an alkali metal cation or a group N.sup.+R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3, in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are, independently of one another, hydrogen, an alkyl group with 1 to 6 C atoms, or a hydroxyalkyl group with 2 to 6 C atoms. Detergents or cleaning agents containingthe surfactant, and the use of same to improve the performance of the detergents or cleaning agents, are also disclosed.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing furan carboxylates from aldaric acids in the presence of a solid heterogeneous catalyst and a solvent with short reaction time. The feedstock for the production is a stable compound, which allows industrial scaling of the process. Solid acid catalyst and sustainable solvent provide considerable reduction of toxic waste compared to traditional methods, and recyclability.

A catalyst system comprising a combination of: 1) one or more catalyst compounds having at least one nitrogen linkage and at least one oxygen linkage to a transition metal; 2) a support comprising an organosilica material, which is a mesoporous organosilica material; and 3) an optional activator. Useful catalysts include ONNO-type transition metal catalysts, ONYO-Type transition metal catalysts, and/or oxadiazole transition metal catalysts. The organosilica material is a polymer of at least one monomer of Formula [zOZ2 SiCH2]3(l), where Z.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-C.sub.4alkyl group, or a bond to a silicon atom of another monomer and Z.sup.2 represents a hydroxyl group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.4alkoxy group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.6alkyl group, or an oxygen atom bonded to a silicon atom of another monomer. This invention further relates to processes to polymerize olefins comprising contacting one or more olefins with the above catalyst system.

The present disclosure provides a method for producing organic compounds, such as esters, from an organic feedstock that includes at least one of a biopolymer or a lipid. The method includes heating the feedstock in the presence of a solid catalyst, such as a solid, inorganic Lewis acid catalyst, and reaction medium that includes an alcohol. At least certain ester products have an ester group corresponding to a substituent of the alcohol.

A catalyst system comprises an activated solid support material and having, on its surface, one or more catalytic transition metal complexes.

A catalyst system comprising a combination of: 1) one or more catalyst compounds comprising at least one nitrogen linkage; 2) a support comprising an organosilica material, which is a mesoporous organosilica material; and 3) an optional activator. Useful catalysts include pyridyldiamido transition metal complexes, HN5 compounds, and bis(imino)pyridyl complexes. The organosilica material is a polymer of at least one monomer of Formula [Z.sup.1OZ.sup.2SiCH.sub.2].sub.3(1), where Z.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-C.sub.4alkyl group, or a bond to a silicon atom of another monomer and Z.sup.2 represents a hydroxyl group, a C1-C.sub.4alkoxy group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl group, or an oxygen atom bonded to a silicon atom of another monomer. This invention further relates to processes to polymerize olefins comprising contacting one or more olefins with the above catalyst system.

Disclosed herein are modified zeolites and methods for making modified zeolites. In one or more embodiments disclosed herein, a modified zeolite may include a microporous framework comprising a plurality of micropores having diameters of less than or equal to 2 nm. The microporous framework may include at least silicon atoms and oxygen atoms. The modified zeolite may further include organometallic moieties each bonded to bridging oxygen atoms. The organometallic moieties may include a titanium atom. The titanium atom may be bonded to a bridging oxygen atom, and the bridging oxygen atom may bridge the titanium atom of the organometallic moiety and a silicon atom of the microporous framework.

A method for reducing the level of occluded alkali metal cations from an MSE-framework type molecular sieve comprises either (a) contacting the molecular sieve with a solution containing ammonium ions at a temperature of at least about 50 C. to ammonium-exchange at least part of the occluded potassium ions or (b) contacting the molecular sieve with steam at a temperature of at least about 300 C. and then subjecting the steamed molecular sieve to ammonium exchange.

According to one embodiment described in this disclosure, a process for producing propylene may comprise at least partially metathesizing a first stream comprising at least about 10 wt. % butene to form a metathesis-reaction product, at least partially cracking the metathesis-reaction product to form a cracking-reaction product comprising propylene, and at least partially separating propylene from the cracking-reaction product to form a product stream comprising at least about 80 wt. % propylene.

A metal complex represented by the following Formula (1): ##STR00001##
(wherein M represents palladium or platinum; L represents a ligand selected from carbon monoxide, an olefin compound, an amine compound, a phosphine compound, an N-heterocyclic carbene compound, a nitrile compound and an isocyanide compound; n represents an integer of 0 to 2 showing the number of the ligand; and each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 represents an organic group). The metal complex described above can be fixed on an inorganic oxide while maintaining a skeletal structure thereof to obtain a supported metal complex, and this makes it possible to allow the supported metal complex to maintain the same catalytic activity as that of the original metal complex. Also, calcining the supported metal complex obtained in the manner described above makes it possible to obtain a supported metal catalyst which is improved in catalytic activity to a greater extent than conventional supported metal catalysts.