The present invention provides methods of efficiently producing various optically active aromatic amino acid derivatives by reacting, using an additive, a specific ester compound with an aromatic halide and zinc in the presence of a catalyst. The present invention also provides amino acid derivatives that can be produced by the methods.

Catalysts including at least one microporous material (e.g., zeolite), an organosilica material binder, and at least one catalyst metal are provided herein. Methods of making the catalysts, preferably without surfactants and processes of using the catalysts, e.g., for aromatic hydrogenation, are also provided herein.

The present disclosure provides electrolytes for an electrochemical device. In some embodiments, these electrolytes are Mg salts comprising 10-vertex or 12-vertex carborane anions. The present disclosure also provides processes for preparing electrolytes for an electrochemical device. In some embodiments, the process comprises reduction of a reactive cation complexed with a 10-vertex or 12-vertex carborane or 12-vertex borate anion to form metal carborane or borate electrolytes. In some embodiments, the process comprises comproportionating a Mg.sup.+2 10-vertex or 12-vertex carborane salt to form a Mg.sup.+1 electrolyte comprising a 10-vertex or 12-vertex carborane. The present disclosure further provides electrochemical devices comprising the electrolytes disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the electrochemical device comprises an electrolyte that is stable at an electrical potential greater than 4 V vs Mg.sup.0/+2. Also provided herein are heterocyctes bearing the 10, 11, and 12 vertex carborane anions for application as catalyst and battery electrolyte components. The methods of making are also disclosed.

A catalytic membrane composite that includes porous supported catalyst particles durably enmeshed in a porous fibrillated polymer membrane is provided. The porous fibrillated polymer membrane may be manipulated to take the form of a tube, disc, or diced tape and used in multiphase reaction systems. The supported catalyst particles are composed of at least one finely divided metal catalyst dispersed on a porous support substrate. High catalytic activity is gained by the effective fine dispersion of the finely divided metal catalyst such that the metal catalyst covers the support substrate and/or is interspersed in the pores of the support substrate. In some embodiments, the catalytic membrane composite may be introduced to a stirred tank autoclave reactor system, a continuous flow reactor system, or a Parr Shaker reaction system and used to effect the catalytic reaction.

A process for preparing b-b dimers having anti-UV and antioxidant properties, from p-hydroxycinnamic esters and amides disubstituted in the ortho position with respect to the phenol function and from ketones disubstituted in the ortho position with respect to the phenol, in particular, from sinapic acid esters and amides and ketone analogs. The dimers of formulae (I), (II), (III) and (IV) as obtained by means of the process according to the present disclosure can be used for the production of polymers/plastics (in plastics technology), or for the protection of plants against the cold and as cosmetic or food-processing ingredients, for example. The process may be used to form biobased anti-UV molecules.

The instant disclosure provides an organometallic compound of Formula I:

##STR00001##

wherein R is selected from —C.sub.1-10 alkyl or —C(O)C.sub.1-10 alkyl; R.sub.1 is selected from —C.sub.1-10 alkyl, —C(O)C.sub.1-10 alkyl, —C(O)C.sub.1-10 alkylN.sup.+R.sub.aR.sub.bCl.sup.−, —C(O)C.sub.1-10 alkylN(CO)R.sub.a, —C.sub.1-10 alkylN.sup.+R.sub.aR.sub.bCl—, or —C.sub.1-10 alkylN(CO)R.sub.a, wherein R.sub.a, and R.sub.b is independently selected from H, C.sub.6-12 aryl, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, C.sub.6-12 aryl, or C.sub.1-10 alkyl; R, and R.sub.1 can be taken together to form a monocyclic 6-8 membered ring; M is selected from Group VI-B metals; and m and n is independently 1 to 3. A process for obtaining the organometallic compound is also provided.

Disclosed are methods of selective hydrodeoxygenation of aromatic compounds by using catalyst systems comprising N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and 4-pyridinol-derived pincer ligands and metal complexes containing these ligands.

A catalytic membrane composite that includes porous supported catalyst particles durably enmeshed in a porous fibrillated polymer membrane is provided. The porous fibrillated polymer membrane may be manipulated to take the form of a tube, disc, or diced tape and used in multiphase reaction systems. The supported catalyst particles are composed of at least one finely divided metal catalyst dispersed on a porous support substrate. High catalytic activity is gained by the effective fine dispersion of the finely divided metal catalyst such that the metal catalyst covers the support substrate and/or is interspersed in the pores of the support substrate. In some embodiments, the catalytic membrane composite may be introduced to a stirred tank autoclave reactor system, a continuous flow reactor system, or a Parr Shaker reaction system and used to effect the catalytic reaction.

The invention relates to monocarbonyl complexes of ruthenium and osmium with bi- and tridentate nitrogen and phosphine ligands. The invention relates to methods for preparing these complexes and the use of these complexes, isolated or prepared in situ, as catalysts for reduction reactions of ketones and aldehydes both via transfer hydrogenation or hydrogenation with hydrogen.

The invention relates to monocarbonyl complexes of ruthenium and osmium with bi- and tridentate nitrogen and phosphine ligands. The invention relates to methods for preparing these complexes and the use of these complexes, isolated or prepared in situ, as catalysts for reduction reactions of ketones and aldehydes both via transfer hydrogenation or hydrogenation with hydrogen.