Method and catalyst for producing methylbenzyl alcohol from ethanol by catalytic conversion. A route and corresponding catalysts for directly producing methylbenzyl alcohols through catalytic conversion starting from ethanol, providing an important alternative route for increasing the production of aromatic oxygenates. The selectivity of the methylbenzyl alcohols is up to 60%. At the same time, the prepared catalysts have excellent stability. Moreover, this innovative reaction route produces hydrogen as co-product without CO, thus can be directly used in chemical reactions and fuel cells. In addition, the route also produces high carbon number alcohols which can be used as fuels or oil additives to partially replace petroleum-based products, thus partly reducing the dependence on petroleum.

The invention relates to a catalyst comprising a support, at least one noble metal M, tin, phosphorus and yttrium, the content of phosphorus element being less than or equal to 1% by weight, and the content of yttrium being less than or equal to 1% by weight relative to the mass of the catalyst. The invention also relates to the process for preparing the catalyst and to the use thereof in reforming.

The invention relates to a catalyst comprising a support, at least one noble metal M, tin, phosphorus and ytterbium, the content of phosphorus element being greater than or equal to 0.2% by weight and less than 0.4% by weight, and the content of ytterbium being less than or equal to 1% by weight relative to the mass of the catalyst. The invention also relates to the process for preparing the catalyst and to the use thereof in reforming.

The invention relates to poly oxometalates represented by the formula (A.sub.n).sup.m+{M.sub.s[MM.sub.15X.sub.10O.sub.yR.sub.zH.sub.q]}.sup.m or solvates thereof, corresponding supported polyoxometalates, and processes for their preparation, as well as corresponding metal-clusters, optionally in the form of a dispersion in a liquid carrier medium or immobilized on a solid support, and processes for their preparation, as well as their use in reductive conversion of organic substrate.

The invention relates to polyoxometalates represented by the formula (A.sub.n).sup.m+[MM.sub.12X.sub.8O.sub.yR.sub.zH.sub.q].sup.m or solvates thereof, corresponding supported polyoxometalates, and processes for their preparation, as well as corresponding metal clusters, optionally in the form of a dispersion in a liquid carrier medium or immobilized on a solid support, and processes for their preparation, as well as their use in reductive conversion of organic substrate.

The invention relates to a catalyst comprising a support, at least one noble metal M, tin, phosphorus and at least one lanthanide group element, the content of phosphorus element being comprised between 0.4 and 1% by weight, and the content of lanthanide group element(s) being less than 1% by weight with respect to the weight of the catalyst. The invention also relates to the process for the preparation of the catalyst and the use thereof in reforming.

The invention concerns a synthesis process of a compound of the following formula (I) or one of the salts thereof, ##STR00001## wherein R represents a COOH, CH.sub.2OH or CHO group, comprising the step according to which the but-3-ene-1,2-diol (BDO) is subjected to an oxidation in the presence of a catalyst, said catalyst comprising an active phase based on at least one noble metal selected from palladium, gold, silver, platinum, rhodium, osmium, ruthenium and iridium, and a support containing alkaline sites. The invention also concerns the application of this reaction to the preparation of bioavailable compounds of methionine used, in particular, in animal nutrition.

A photocatalytic nanocomposite hollow sphere comprising a shell surrounding a hollow core, and the shell comprising zirconium dioxide, hydroxyapatite, and platinum, as well as a method for producing the nanocomposite hollow sphere and a method employing the nanocomposite hollow sphere in reducing an aromatic nitro compound to an aromatic amine compound under visible light are disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a method that includes heating a mixture that includes a metal phenylphosphine-containing precursor that includes at least one of Mo(PPh.sub.3).sub.2(CO).sub.4, Pd(PPh.sub.3).sub.4, Ru(PPh.sub.3).sub.3Cl.sub.2, Ru(PPh.sub.3).sub.2(CO).sub.2Cl.sub.2, Co(PPh.sub.3)(CO).sub.2(NO), and/or Rh(PPh.sub.3).sub.2(CO)Cl, a surfactant, and a solvent. The heating is to a target temperature to form a heated mixture containing a metal phosphide nanoparticle that includes at least one of MoP, Ru.sub.2P, Co.sub.2P, Rh.sub.2P, and/or Pd.sub.3P, and the metal phosphide nanoparticle is not hollow.

Catalysts for dehydrating hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with high yield and selectivity, short residence time, and without significant conversion to undesired side products, such as, for example, acetaldehyde, propionic acid, and acetic acid, are provided. The catalysts are mixed protonated monophosphates. Methods of preparing the catalysts are also provided.