An improved process for acid-catalyzed acylation using water-tolerant Lewis acid catalysts is described. The method involves reacting a reduction products of 5-(hydroxylmethyl)-furfural (HMF), in particular either furan-2,5-dimethanol (FDM) or bis-2,5-(hydroxymethyl)-tetrahydrofuran (bHMTHFs), with an excess of an organic acid in the presence of a Lewis acid metal triflate at a temperature and time sufficient to produce esters. The conversions of the reduction products of HMF to corresponding diesters can be quantitative with certain favored Lewis acids catalysts.

A method for synthesizing (R)-(−)-1-((S)-2-diphosphino ferrocene)-ethyl-diphosphine by: 1) adding vinylferrocene, a chiral catalyst, and toluene to a first drying reactor; adding a phosphorus-hydrogen compound to the first drying reactor and allowing reactants in the first drying reactor to react; cooling the first drying reactor; adding water dropwise to the first drying reactor; extracting, drying, and recrystallizing a product to yield (R)-1-ferrocenylethyl-diphosphine; 2) adding the (R)-1-ferrocenylethyl-diphosphine and ether to a second drying reactor; adding a hexane solution including diethylzinc to the second drying reactor and allowing reactants in the second drying reactor to react; adding a phosphorus-chlorine compound dropwise to the second drying reactor, and heating and refluxing the reaction mixture in the second drying reactor; adding water to quench the reaction mixture in the second drying reactor; and extracting, drying, and recrystallizing the reaction mixture.

The invention describes phospho-amino pincer-type ligands, metal complexes thereof, and catalytic methods comprising such metal complexes for conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol, conversion of aldehydes into alcohols, conversion of aldehydes in the presence of a trifluoromethylation agent into trifluorinated secondary alcohols, cycloaddition of carbon dioxide to an epoxide to provide cyclic carbonates or preparation of an amide from the combination of an alcohol and an amine.

Selective reduction methods for halogenated carbosilanes and carbodisilanes are disclosed. More particularly, high yields of the desired carbosilanes and carbodisilanes are obtained by reduction of their halogenated counterparts using a reducing agent and tetrabutylphosphonium chloride (TBPC) as a catalyst.

A catalyst system useful in the production of bisphenol-A comprises (a) an acidic heterogeneous catalyst; (b) a first catalyst promoter comprising at least one organic sulfur-containing compound; and (c) a second catalyst promoter different from the first catalyst promoter and comprising at least one organic Brønsted acidic ionic compound.

A method of producing a catalytic carbon fiber may include: providing a carbon fiber and an aminated macrocycle, mixing the carbon fiber and the aminated macrocycle with a solvent; and reacting the carbon fiber and the aminated macrocycle to form an amide bond between the carbon fiber and the aminated macrocycle thereby forming the catalytic carbon fiber.

The present invention relates to a Cu-based catalyst, a preparation process thereof and its use as the dehydrogenation catalyst in producing a hydroxyketone compound such as acetoin. Said Cu-based catalyst contains copper, at least one auxiliary metal selected from metal of Group IIA, non-noble metal of Group VIII, metal of Group VIB, metal of Group VIIB, metal of Group IIB and lanthanide metal of periodic table of elements, and an alkali metal, and further contains at least one ketone additive selected from a ketone represented by formula (II) and a ketone represented by formula (II′). Said Cu-based catalyst shows a high the acetoin selectivity as the dehydrogenation catalyst for producing acetoin.
R1-C(═O)—CH(OH)—R2  (II)
R1-C(═O)—CH(═O)—R2  (II′) In formulae (II) and (II′), each group is defined as in the description.

The invention relates to a process for preparing cyclic organic carbonates, characterized in that an epoxide is initially charged in the presence of CO.sub.2 and then a catalyst is added.

The present invention provides a catalyst system capable of catalyzing the carbonylation of an ethylenically unsaturated compound, which system is obtainable by combining: a) a metal of Group VIB or Group VIIIB or a compound thereof, b) a bidentate phosphine, arsine or stibine ligand, and c) an acid,
wherein the ligand is present in at least a 2:1 molar excess compared to the metal or the metal in the metal compound, and that the acid is present in at least a 2:1 molar excess compared to the ligand, a process for the carbonylation of an ethylenically unsaturated compound, a reaction medium, and use of the system.

An analytical device configured for the introduction of the liquid or solid sample into a sample chamber where it is extracted by a chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent, wherein the extract then passes into a chamber where it undergoes a Friedel-Crafts (FC) reaction.