Processes for the catalytic dehydration of hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with high yield and selectivity and without significant conversion to undesired side products, such as, acetaldehyde, propanoic acid, and acetic acid, are provided.

Methods for catalytically dehydrating hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with high yield and selectivity and without significant conversion to undesired side products, such as, acetaldehyde, propionic acid, and acetic acid, are provided. The catalysts are mixed condensed phosphates.

Methods for catalytically dehydrating hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with high yield and selectivity and without significant conversion to undesired side products, such as, acetaldehyde, propionic acid, and acetic acid, are provided. The catalysts are mixed condensed phosphates.

A process for producing methyl methacrylate, the process comprising contacting reactants comprising methacrolein, methanol and an oxygen-containing gas, under reaction conditions in the presence of a solid catalyst comprising palladium, bismuth and at least one third element X, where X is selected from the group consisting of P, S, Sc, V, Ga, Se, Y, Nb, Mo, La, Ce, and Nd, wherein the solid catalyst further comprises a support selected from at least one member of the group consisting of silica, alumina, calcium carbonate, active carbon, zinc oxide, titanium oxide and magnesium oxide.

A process for producing methyl methacrylate, the process comprising contacting reactants comprising methacrolein, methanol and an oxygen-containing gas, under reaction conditions in the presence of a solid catalyst comprising palladium, bismuth and at least one third element X, where X is selected from the group consisting of P, S, Sc, V, Ga, Se, Y, Nb, Mo, La, Ce, and Nd, wherein the solid catalyst further comprises a support selected from at least one member of the group consisting of silica, alumina, calcium carbonate, active carbon, zinc oxide, titanium oxide and magnesium oxide.

A process is described for the preparation of an inorganic material with a hierarchical porosity in the micropore and mesopore domains. The material has at least two elementary spherical particles having a maximum diameter of 200 microns. The process comprises: a) preparing a solution containing zeolitic nanocrystals with a maximum nanometric dimension equal to 60 nm based on silicon and/or precursor elements of proto-zeolitic entities based on silicon; b) mixing, in solution, metallic particles or at least one metallic precursor of metallic particles, a surfactant and the solution obtained in accordance with a) such that the ratio of the volumes of inorganic and organic materials, V.sub.inorganic/V.sub.organic, is 0.29 to 0.50; c) aerosol atomization of the solution obtained in b) resulting in formation of spherical particles; d) drying the particles; g) eliminating any remaining precursor elements of proto-zeolitic entities based on silicon and the surfactant.

A process is described for the preparation of an inorganic material with a hierarchical porosity in the micropore and mesopore domains. The material has at least two elementary spherical particles having a maximum diameter of 200 microns. The process comprises: a) preparing a solution containing zeolitic nanocrystals with a maximum nanometric dimension equal to 60 nm based on silicon and/or precursor elements of proto-zeolitic entities based on silicon; b) mixing, in solution, metallic particles or at least one metallic precursor of metallic particles, a surfactant and the solution obtained in accordance with a) such that the ratio of the volumes of inorganic and organic materials, V.sub.inorganic/V.sub.organic, is 0.29 to 0.50; c) aerosol atomization of the solution obtained in b) resulting in formation of spherical particles; d) drying the particles; g) eliminating any remaining precursor elements of proto-zeolitic entities based on silicon and the surfactant.

Bio-based glacial acrylic acid, produced from hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof and having impurities of hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof, is polymerized to poly(acrylic acid) or superabsorbent polymer using the same processes as petroleum-derived glacial acrylic acid.

Bio-based glacial acrylic acid, produced from hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof and having impurities of hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof, is polymerized to poly(acrylic acid) or superabsorbent polymer using the same processes as petroleum-derived glacial acrylic acid.

Hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof are dehydrated using a catalyst and a method to produce bio-acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof. A method to produce the dehydration catalyst is also provided.