One or more processes for recovering entrained ionic liquid from a hydrocarbon phase containing droplets of ionic liquid are described. The processes includes contacting the hydrocarbon phase containing the droplets of ionic liquid with a retaining material in a separation zone. The droplets of ionic liquid are retained by the retaining material. The ionic liquid may be recovered from the retaining material with a solvent or desorbent. The retaining material may be regenerated and the ionic liquid may be reactivated. The retaining material may be used in a wash vessel to retain or remove contaminant solids within the reactor or other vessels.

Methods for making acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof by contacting a feed stream containing lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with a molten salt catalyst comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid in liquid phase are provided.

A micro-emulsion and a method of making the micro-emulsion are described. The micro-emulsion composition includes more than about 50 vol % of an oil phase and polar structures. The oil phase comprises a hydrocarbon component and a co-solvent, and the polar structures comprise an ionic liquid. The ionic liquid comprises a halometallate anion and a cation which is at least slightly soluble in the hydrocarbon component or in the co-solvent. The micro-emulsion can optionally include a surfactant, and a catalyst promoter. The co-solvent has a polarity greater than the polarity of the hydrocarbon, and the co-solvent is miscible in the hydrocarbon.

This invention relates to heterogeneous catalysts useful for selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, comprising palladium and optionally a promoter, supported on a substrate, having an uncoated BET surface area of 9 m.sup.2/g, the surface being coated with an ionic liquid. Also described are methods of making the catalysts and methods of selective hydrogenation of acetylene and/or dienes in front-end mixed olefin feed streams.

This invention relates to heterogeneous catalysts useful for selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, comprising palladium and optionally a promoter, supported on a substrate, having an uncoated BET surface area of 9 m.sup.2/g, the surface being coated with an ionic liquid. Also described are methods of making the catalysts and methods of selective hydrogenation of acetylene and/or dienes in front-end mixed olefin feed streams.

The present invention relates to a catalyst composition in the form of a capsule, having walls made of solid material which define a closed volume which contains a liquid phase comprising at least one ionic liquid of formula Q.sup.+A.sup., wherein Q.sup.+ is an organic cation and A.sup. is an anion, and in which a Brnsted acid HB is dissolved.

The present invention relates to a catalytic composition in the form of what is known as a Pickering emulsion, said composition comprising a first non-aqueous liquid phase L1 comprising hydrocarbon compounds, within which droplets of a second liquid phase L2 are stabilized by solid particles, said second liquid phase L2 comprising at least one ionic liquid of formula Q.sup.+A.sup., Q.sup.+ being an organic cation and A.sup. being an anion, and in which a Brnsted acid HB is dissolved.

The present disclosure describes methods and biomimetic catalysts useful for hydrolyzing glucose polymers, such as cellulose, and oligomers, such as cellobiose, to glucose for the subsequent production of ethanol.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for forming a lignin fraction from crude lignin which has been processed by means of a treatment step selected from enzymatic treatment, treatment with ionic liquid and their combinations. The method comprises treating the crude lignin (1) by a lignin liberation in at least one lignin liberation step (3), and separating a lignin fraction (6) in at least one separation step (5). Further, the invention relates to a lignin composition and its use.

The present invention is directed to a catalytic system which can be used to hydrogenate and dehydrogenate a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) compound. The catalytic system is composed of a special type of catalyst, a special type of solvent, and an LOHC compound. It can be used to store and release hydrogen upon demand, e.g. for usage in fuel cells of electrically propelled vehicles. Likewise, an apparatus comprising the inventive catalytic system and its use is contemplated.