Provided herein are methods and catalysts for the production of hexoses, pentoses, tetroses, trioses, ketoses, heptoses, aldehydes, glycolaldehyde, and glyceraldehyde from carbon dioxide using a system that does not rely on biological production methods. The process first converts carbon dioxide into an aldehyde intermediate, which is secondly used as feedstock to produce larger aldehydes and sugars in a formose reaction. The resulting process is a useful CO2 utilization method for space exploration and in-situ resource utilization, with potential application for terrestrial production of low-carbon chemicals.

The present invention provides, inter alia, a multidentate ligand having the structure of:

##STR00001##

Also provided are methods of preparing metal complexes from the multidentate ligand, and the metal complexes prepared by such methods. Further provided are catalysts comprising such metal complexes, and various uses of such catalysts.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a water splitting catalyst containing [Mn.sub.4CaO.sub.4] core structure and use thereof. The present invention provides clusters containing [Mn.sub.4CaO.sub.4] core structure by a chemical synthesis using inexpensive metal ions (Mn.sup.2+, Ca.sup.2+ ions), simple carboxyl ligands and a permanganate, performed single crystal X-ray diffraction on their space structure, and characterized their physical and chemical properties with electron spectrum, electrochemical and electron paramagnetic resonance technologies and the like. These compounds can catalyze water splitting in the presence of oxidant to release oxygen and can also catalyze water splitting on the surface of an electrode to release electrons onto the surface of the electrode to form a current.

A method for synthesizing and application embedded alkaline earth metal oxide solid alkali includes: firstly, synthesizing an alkaline earth metal organic skeleton with single or multiple alkaline earth metals (Mg, Ca and Sr) as central metal elements; and then controlling the heating process to carry out high-temperature pyrolysis in a non-oxidizing atmosphere, so that the alkaline earth metal oxide are embedded in the nano carbon sheet to obtain a solid alkali catalyst. Finally, the catalyst is used to catalyze the transesterification of palm oil and methanol to produce biodiesel. The active site of the solid alkali obtained by the method is anchored on the nano-like carbon sheet, so that the active site is directly exposed on the surface of the catalyst, the catalytic activity is improved, the loss of the active site is inhibited, and the stability of the solid alkali catalyst is enhanced.

The present invention relates to the field of polymerisation catalysts, and systems comprising these catalysts for polymerising carbon dioxide and an epoxide, a lactide and/or lactone, and/or an epoxide and an anhydride. The catalyst is of formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein at least one of M.sub.1 or M.sub.2 is selected from Ni(II) and Ni(III)-X. A process for the reaction of carbon dioxide with an epoxide; an epoxide and an anhydride; and/or a lactide and/or a lactone in the presence of the catalyst is also described.

A catalyst including gold, or a compound thereof, and sulphur, a compound of sulphur, trichloroisocyanuric acid or a metal dichloroisocyanurate on a support, together with a process for manufacturing the catalyst and its use in a chemical process are described.

The present invention relates to the field of polymerisation catalysts, and systems comprising these catalysts for polymerising carbon dioxide and an epoxide, a lactide and/or lactone, and/or an epoxide and an anhydride. The catalyst is of formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein at least one of M.sub.1 or M.sub.2 is selected from Ni(II) and Ni(III)-X. A process for the reaction of carbon dioxide with an epoxide; an epoxide and an anhydride; and/or a lactide and/or a lactone in the presence of the catalyst is also described.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a porous metal-organic framework by reacting at least one metal compound in which the metal is Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al, Ga or In with at least one at least bidentate organic compound and also the use of such porous metal-organic frameworks.

The present invention relates to the field of polymerisation catalysts, and systems comprising said catalysts for polymerising carbon dioxide and an epoxide, a lactide and/or lactone, and/or an epoxide and an anhydride. The catalyst is of formula (I):

##STR00001##

Wherein M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are independently selected from Zn(II), Cr(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), Mg(II), Fe(II), Ti(II), V(II), Cr(III)-X, Co(III)-X, Ni(III)-X, Mn(III)-X, Fe(III)-X, Ca(II), Ge(II), Al(III)-X, Ti(III)-X, V(III)-X, Ge(IV)-(X).sub.2 or Ti(IV)-(X).sub.2. R.sub.3A is different from R.sub.3B; and/or at least one occurrence of E.sub.3, E.sub.4, E.sub.5 and E.sub.6 is different to a remaining occurrence of E.sub.3, E.sub.4, E.sub.5 and E.sub.6. A ligand, a process of asymmetric N-substitution of a symmetrical ligand and a process for the reaction of: (i) carbon dioxide with an epoxide; (ii) an epoxide and an anhydride; and/or (iii) a lactide and/or a lactone, in the presence of a catalyst is also described.

The present invention relates to the field of polymerisation catalysts, and systems comprising these catalysts for polymerising carbon dioxide and an epoxide, a lactide and/or lactone, and/or an epoxide and an anhydride. The catalyst is of formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein at least one of M.sub.1 or M.sub.2 is selected from Ni(II) and Ni(III)-X. A process for the reaction of carbon dioxide with an epoxide; an epoxide and an anhydride; and/or a lactide and/or a lactone in the presence of the catalyst is also described.