The invention relates to immobilized metal alkylidene catalysts. The catalysts are useful in olefin metathesis. ##STR00001##

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a catalyst and/or a precatalyst, in particular a single site catalyst and/or a single site precatalyst, for the oxidation and/or ammoxidation of olefins to produce aldehydes and/or nitriles, methods of preparing a corresponding catalyst and/or precatalyst, in particular single site catalyst and/or single site precatalyst, and methods of using said catalyst and/or precatalyst, in particular said single site catalyst and/or single site precatalyst, to produce aldehydes and/or nitriles.

D The present invention relates to ion pair catalysts (I) comprising the cationic bisguanidinium ligand (A) and diperoxomolybdate anion (B). The present invention also relates to ion pair catalysts (III) comprising the cationic bisguanidinium ligand (C) and peroxotungstate anion (D). It further relates to the use of the said catalysts in the manufacture of enantiomerically enriched sulfoxides. ##STR00001##

A tetraanionic OCO pincer ligand metal-oxo-alkylidene complex is prepared from a trianionic pincer ligand supported metal-alkylidyne. The metal can be tungsten or other group 5-7 transition metal. The tetraanionic pincer ligand metal-oxo-alkylidene complex, a trianionic OCO pincer ligand metal complex, or a trianionic ONO pincer ligand metal complex can be used to polymerize cycloalkenes. The poly(cycloalkene)s are predominantly cis-alkene macrocyclics.

A process to form a cyclic olefin polymerization catalyst which includes contacting a metal alkoxide with a transition metal halide to form a transition metal precatalyst, and contacting the transition metal precatalyst with a metal alkyl activator to form the activated catalyst comprising a transition metal carbene moiety. A cyclic olefin polymerization process is also disclosed.

A supported catalyst system is based on a transition metal carbene including the moiety M1=CR*).sub.2, wherein M.sup.1 is the transition metal and R* is hydrogen or a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 hydrocarbyl. The catalyst system can be supported on a metal oxide support such as silica or the catalyst can be self-supporting. Methods of making the catalyst system can involve precursors based on and/or reacted with aluminum alkyls, halides, and/or alkoxides. Methods of polymerizing cyclic olefins with the catalyst system can obtain polyalkenamers, cyclic olefin polymers, cyclic olefin copolymers, and other metathesis reaction products. The supported catalyst and/or monomer can be recovered and recycled to the polymerization reactor.

In one aspect, the invention provides a method for synthesizing a fatty olefin derivative. The method includes: a) contacting an olefin according to Formula I ##STR00001##
with a metathesis reaction partner according to Formula IIb ##STR00002##
in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesis product according to Formula IIIb: ##STR00003##
and b) converting the metathesis product to the fatty olefin derivative. Each R.sup.1 is independently selected from H, C.sub.1-18 alkyl, and C.sub.2-18 alkenyl; R.sup.2b is C.sub.1-8 alkyl; subscript y is an integer ranging from 0 to 17; and subscript z is an integer ranging from 0 to 17. In certain embodiments, the metathesis catalyst is a tungsten catalyst or a molybdenum catalyst. In various embodiments, the fatty olefin derivative is a pheromone. Pheromone compositions and methods of using them are also described.

The present invention provides compositions comprising metal complexes, and related methods. In some embodiments, metal complexes of the invention may be useful as catalysts for chemical reactions, including metathesis reactions, wherein the catalysts exhibit enhanced activity and stereoselectivity. In some embodiments, the invention may advantageously provide metal complexes comprising a stereogenic metal atom. Such metal complexes may be useful in enantioselective catalysis.

A catalyst system has been designed that disrupts the sedimentation process. The catalyst system achieves this by saturating key feed components before the feed components are stripped into their incompatible aromatic cores. The efficacy of this disruptive catalyst system is particularly evident in a hydrocracker configuration that runs in two-stage-recycle operation. The catalyst is a self-supported multi-metallic catalyst prepared from a precursor in the hydroxide form, and the catalyst must be toward the top level of the second stage of the two-stage system.

Methods for preparation of olefins, including 8- and 11-unsaturated monoenes and polyenes, via transition metathesis-based synthetic routes are described. Metathesis reactions in the methods are catalyzed by transition metal catalysts including tungsten-, molybdenum-, and ruthenium-based catalysts. The olefins include insect pheromones useful in a number of agricultural applications.