A continuous process for the preparation of propylene oxide, comprising providing a liquid feed stream comprising propene, hydrogen peroxide, methanol, water, at least one dissolved potassium salt of hydroxyethylidenediphosphonic acid, and optionally propane; passing the liquid feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation reactor comprising a catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite of structure type MFI, and subjecting the liquid feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions in the epoxidation reactor, obtaining a reaction mixture comprising propylene oxide, methanol, water, and the at least one dissolved potassium salt of hydroxyethylidenediphosphonic acid, and optionally propane; removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation reactor, the effluent stream comprising propylene oxide, methanol, water, at least a portion of the at least one potassium salt of hydroxyethylidenediphosphonic acid, and optionally propane.

A method of preparing bio-polyols from epoxidized fatty acid esters, wherein the bio-polyols are synthesized via hydroxylation with epoxidized fatty acid esters and ring-opening reagent, using the acidic ionic liquids as catalysts. The bio-polyols are used to synthesize bio-polyurethane and bio-polyurethane foams. The acidic ionic liquids in this process is used in esterification, epoxidation, and ring-opening reaction to synthesize bio-polyols. The ionic liquids catalysts have several advantages such as easy to separate, reusable, and may reduce pollution.

The present invention relates, in part, to methods for depolymerizing a polymer, in which the method includes use of a magnetic catalyst. The magnetic catalyst can include, e.g., a ore-shell particle, such as a particle having a magnetic core and a shell including a metal-organic framework.

A composition, comprising: trisilylamine and less than 5 ppmw of halogen. A method of making a silylamine comprising combining ammonia and a compound comprising aminosilane functionality, where the compound comprising aminosilane functionality is according to formula (I) R.sup.1 N(R.sup.2)a(SiH.sub.3).sub.2a (I), where R.sup.1 is an organic polymer, a C-.sub.1-20 hydrocarbyl group or SiR.sup.3.sub.3.sup.1, where R.sup.3 is C.sub.1-6 hydrocarbyl, R.sup.2 is a C-.sub.1-20 hydrocarbyl group, H, or -SiR.sup.3.sub.3.sup.1 , where R.sup.3 is as defined above, subscript a is 0 or 1, provided that R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may be the same or different except if R.sup.1 is phenyl, R.sup.2 is not phenyl, under sufficient conditions to cause a reaction to form a silylamine and a byproduct.

The invention provides ionic polymers (IP) consisting of anions and a polymeric backbone containing cations. The invention also provides the ionic polymers incorporated in membranes or attached to solid supports and use of the ionic polymers in processing of biomass.

A naphthalenedicarboxylic acid dichloride production method includes causing a reaction between naphthalenedicarboxylic acid and a chlorinating agent at a reaction temperature of 20 C. or higher and 75 C. or lower in presence of a solvent including tetrahydrofuran. The causing a reaction in the naphthalenedicarboxylic acid dichloride production method is preferably performed in presence of N,N-disubstituted formamide.

The present teachings disclose contacting an amine salt catalyst with a dicarbonyl compound having an alkylene group between the carbonyl group; adding formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, or formalin in an amount of about 2:1 to about 3:1 moles of formaldehyde to moles of the dicarbonyl compound to form a mixture; and refluxing the mixture. The process forms a carbonyl-substituted alkene. The process may be performed in the absence of a solvent. The process may form methylene malonates, methylene dimalonates, methylene keto malonamides, methylene diketones, methylene keto esters, and the like.

The present invention relates to a novel chiral phase-transfer catalyst, and a method for preparing an alpha-amino acid by using the same. According to the present invention, an alpha-amino acid of high optical purity could be synthesized in a high yield under an easy industrially applicable reaction condition by using a novel cinchona alkaloid compound as a chiral phase-transfer catalyst, and thus the present invention can be used as a key technique of the asymmetric alpha-amino acid synthesis and preparation field.

Disclosed is a cost-effective process for catalytic conversion of simple C.sub.6-based sugars (such as glucose and fructose) and industrial-grade sugar syrups derived from starch (such as different grades of High Fructose Corn Syrup) and cellulosic biomass to 5-HydroxyMethylFurfural (5-HMF) in a continuous-flow tubular reactor in bi-phasic media using inexpensive heterogeneous solid catalysts. Commercial and synthesized heterogeneous solid catalysts were used and their activities in terms of sugar conversion and HMF selectivity and yield were compared. Continuous dehydration of fructose, glucose and industrial-grade sugar syrups derived from corn and wood to HMF was achieved and the stability of selected catalysts and feasibility of catalyst recycling and regeneration were demonstrated. The performance of the catalysts and reactor system were examined under different operating conditions including reaction temperature, feeding flow rate, initial feedstock concentration, catalyst loading, presence of extracting organic solvent and phase transfer catalyst and aqueous to organic phase ratio. At the best operating conditions, HMF yield attained 60%, 45% and 53%, from dehydration of fructose, glucose and HFCS-90, respectively.

Generally, it is disclosed a catalyst for use in a hydrotreating hydrocarbon feedstocks and the method of making such catalyst. It is generically provided that the catalyst comprises at least one Group VIB metal component, at least one Group VIII metal component, about (1) to (about (30) wt % C, and preferably about (1) to about (20) wt % C, and more preferably about (5) to about 15 wt % C of one or more sulfur containing organic additive and a titanium-containing carrier component, wherein the amount of the titanium component is in the range of about (3) to (about (60) wt %, expressed as an oxide (Ti0.sub.2) and based on the total weight of the catalyst. The titanium-containing carrier is formed by co-extruding or precipitating a titanium source with a Al203 precursor to form a porous support material comprising Al.sub.20.sub.3 or by impregnating a titanium source onto a porous support material comprising Al.sub.20.sub.3.