This invention is directed to asymmetric synthesis of funapide, which is useful for the treatment and/or prevention of sodium channel-mediated diseases or conditions, such as pain.

Provided is a process for producing a fuel cell electrode catalyst with high catalytic activity that is alternative to a noble metal catalyst, through a heat treatment at a relatively low temperature. A process for producing a fuel cell electrode catalyst includes a step (I) of obtaining a catalyst precursor, including a step (Ia) of mixing at least a metal compound (1), a nitrogen-containing organic compound (2), and a fluorine-containing compound (3), and a step (II) of heat-treating the catalyst precursor at a temperature of 500 to 1300 C. to obtain an electrode catalyst, a portion or the entirety of the metal compound (1) being a compound containing an atom of a metal element M1 selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, titanium, niobium and zirconium, and at least one of the compounds (1), (2) and (3) containing an oxygen atom.

An integrated, co-product capable process is provided for producing taurine in particular with optionally one or both of monoethanolamine and diethanolamine from one or more sugars, comprising pyrolyzing one or more sugars to produce a crude pyrolysis product mixture including glycolaldehyde and formaldehyde; optionally removing formaldehyde from the crude pyrolysis product mixture, then combining the crude pyrolysis product mixture with an aminating agent in the presence of hydrogen and further in the presence of a catalyst to produce at least monoethanolamine from the crude pyrolysis product mixture; optionally recovering diethanolamine from the crude reductive amination product, sulfating at least a portion to all of the monoethanolamine product to produce 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; and sulfonating the 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester to produce taurine.

A novel catalyst, a use thereof and a method for treating PCB inked waste by using the same are disclosed. The catalyst of the present disclosure is represented by the following formula (I):

[M(O).sub.a].sup.m+X.sup.n(I)

herein M, X, a, m and n are defined in the specification.

The present invention is directed to a process for making Substituted Quinazoline Compounds of formula (I): which are useful for the treatment and prophylaxis of HCMV infection. The present invention is also directed to compounds that are useful as synthetic intermediates for making the compounds of formula (I). ##STR00001##

The present invention provides a bifunctional catalyst of the formula (1): wherein: each R.sup.1 is independently selected from an optionally substituted alkyl group, an optionally substituted cycloalkyl group, an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted heteroaryl group, an optionally substituted aralkyl group and an optionally substituted alkaryl group; Z represents a divalent organic linking moiety optionally containing one or more stereocenters; and EWG represents an electron-withdrawing group.
(R.sup.1).sub.3PNZNH-EWG(1)

The present invention provides a heterogeneous metal-free Fenton catalyst, a method for preparing the same and use thereof. The catalyst is a carbon-based material surface-bonded with halogenated quinones, wherein the carbon-based material has synergistic action with halogenated quinones. The catalyst is prepared by grafting halogenated quinones onto the carbon-based material, or feeding chlorine during the carbonation process of the carbon-based material for oxidization. The production of hydroxyl radicals by using the catalyst has a low cost and a safe, simple and convenient process. The conditions for producing hydroxyl radicals are mild, without any secondary pollution. Moreover, the radical production has a high, continuous and stable yield, and the hydroxyl radicals can be effectively produced by using no chemicals which are harmful to human bodies, without any side product and any additional substances which are difficult to separate. The catalyst has a great application value in the fields of organic pollutant degradation.

The present invention relates to a method for the production of cross-linked carbon nanotube network which are selected from aerogels and xerogels with improved performance and characteristics thereof. The invention is also concerned with carbon nanotube networks which are selected from aerogels and xerogels produced by such processes and uses thereof.

A non-aqueous metal catalytic composition includes (a) a silver complex comprising reducible silver ions, (b) an oxyazinium salt silver ion photoreducing agent, (c) a hindered pyridine, (d) a photocurable component, a non-curable polymer, or combination of a photocurable component and a non-curable polymer, and (e) a photo sensitizer different from all components (a) through (d) in the non-aqueous metal catalytic composition, in an amount of at least 1 weight %. This non-aqueous metal catalytic composition can be used to form silver metal particles in situ during suitable reducing conditions. The silver metal can be provided in a suitable layer or pattern on a substrate, which can then be subsequently subjected to electroless plating to form electrically-conductive layers or patterns for use in various articles or as touch screen displays in electronic devices.

A method for acid-catalyzed acylation of an isohexide is described. The method can enable direct alcohol acylation with carboxylic acids. In particular, the method involves reacting an isohexide and an excess of carboxylic acid, in the presence of a water-tolerant Lewis acid catalyst. Water-tolerant Lewis acid catalysts can furnish relatively high diester yields (e.g., 55%-60%) at lower catalyst loads. This feature, among others, is highly desirable for cost savings, and can improve process economics.