The present invention provides a process for preparing an unsaturated alcohol of the formula (I), wherein one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is preferably C.sub.2-C.sub.10-alkyl or C.sub.2-C.sub.10-alkenyl containing one double bond and the other one is preferably hydrogen or methyl; R.sup.3 is preferably hydrogen; which comprises subjecting an educt composition including at least 75% by weight of an unsaturated aldehyde of the formula (II) wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 preferably have the above defined meanings, to a hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst and a tertiary amine; wherein the tertiary amine is used in an amount ranging from 0.001 to 0.7% by weight, based on the total amount of the liquid reaction mixture. The invention further relates to the nerol compound obtainable by the inventive process, to a fragrance or aroma substance composition comprising the nerol compound obtainable by the inventive process, to a method for imparting and/or intensifying an odor or flavor of a product, and also to perfumed or aromatized products comprising a nerol compound obtainable by the inventive process. ##STR00001##

Disclosed is a method of preparing an intermetallic catalyst that includes irradiating ultrasonic waves to a precursor admixture including a noble metal precursor, a transition metal precursor, and a carrier to form core-shell particles including a transition metal oxide coating layer; the annealing the core-shell particles to form intermetallic particles including a transition metal oxide coating layer; and the removing the transition metal oxide coating layer from the intermetallic particles.

This disclosure provides a method to produce highly attrition resistant pellets by encapsulating reactive components in a vitrified clay outer layer. The reactive component mixture is present relative to the clay substrate in a weight ratio of part per 60-100 part to about 60 parts of the clay substrate. The reactive components are agglomerated first, and clay substrate is added to form the outer layer of the pellet. The pellets are calcined at temperatures above 1200 C to form a vitrified clay semi porous outer layer providing high strength to the pellet while facilitating the gas transfer for the reaction with the encapsulated reactive components. Pellets containing CuO—Fe.sub.2O.sub.3-alumina oxygen carrier for chemical looping combustion of fuel demonstrated high attrition resistance and high reactivity with methane.

A catalyst of the present invention contains a first transition metal oxide (A1) represented by the general formula M.sup.1O.sub.x, wherein M.sup.1 represents a transition metal element, and x represents a positive real number, and a metal compound (B1) capable of adsorbing carbon dioxide. The first transition metal oxide (A1) is supported on the metal compound (B1), and the first transition metal oxide (A1) can produce a compound represented by the general formula M.sup.1O.sub.x-n by reduction, wherein M.sup.1 and x are as defined above, and n represents a positive real number equal to or less than x.

In one embodiment, a product includes a nanoporous gold structure comprising a plurality of ligaments, and a plurality of oxide particles deposited on the nanoporous gold structure; the oxide particles are characterized by a crystalline phase.

A method produces ε-caprolactam through adipamide as an intermediate, and characteristically includes a lactamization step of reacting adipamide, formed from a material compound, with hydrogen and ammonia in the presence of a catalyst containing: a metal oxide mainly containing an oxide(s) of one or more metallic elements selected from the group consisting of metallic elements of group 5 and groups 7 to 14 in the 4th to 6th periods of the periodic table; and a metal and/or a metal compound having a hydrogenation ability.

The present invention relates in part to a method of fabricating multimetallic nanoparticles, the method comprising the steps of providing a substrate; activating the substrate surface; adsorbing a cationic transition metal complex onto the substrate surface to form a substrate-supported cationic transition metal complex; adsorbing an anionic transition metal complex onto the substrate-supported cationic transition metal complex to form a substrate-supported multimetallic complex salt; and reducing the substrate-supported multimetallic complex salt to provide a plurality of multimetallic nanoparticles. The invention also relates in part to a composition of multimetallic nanoparticles comprising at least two metals M.sub.a and M.sub.b; wherein the ratio of M.sub.a to M.sub.b is between about 2:1 and about 1:2.

A catalyst for producing light aromatics with heavy aromatics, a method for preparing the catalyst, and a use thereof are disclosed. The catalyst comprises a carrier, component (1), and component (2), wherein component (1) comprises one metal element or more metal elements selected from a group consisting of Pt, Pd, Ir, and Rh, and component (2) comprises one metal element or more metal elements selected from a group consisting of IA group, IIA group, IIIA group, IVA group, IB group, IIB group, IIIB group, IVB group, VB group, VIB group, VIIB group, La group, and VIII group other than Pt, Pd, Ir, and Rh. The catalyst can be used for producing light aromatics with heavy aromatics, whereby heavy aromatics hydrogenation selectivity and light aromatics yield can be improved.

Catalyst materials comprising iron and palladium are described. Also described are methods for preparing such materials. In addition, methods for remediating materials such as sediments and groundwater using the catalyst materials are described.

An improved oxygen storage capacity material comprising a mixed oxide is disclosed. Catalysts, systems and methods using the improved oxygen storage capacity material for abating emissions in an exhaust stream are provided.