A catalyst is provided having: (a) at least one multimetallic salt; and (b) at least one organic acid, wherein the at least one multimetallic salt to the at least one organic acid weight ratio is in the range of 1:0.01-1:0.5. A process is also provided for the preparation of the catalyst and for the preparation of the multimetallic salt.

Disclosed are a pincer-type ligand having a structurally rigid acridane structure and a metal complex consisting of the pincer-type ligand and a metal bound to each other, and exhibiting high reactivity and stability during a variety of bonding activation reactions. T-shaped complexes can be prepared from .sup.acriPNP(4,5-bis(diisopropylphosphino)-2,7,9,9-tetramethyl-9H-acridin-10-ide), which is a pincer-type PNP ligand having an acridane structure, and metal complexes, which can be structurally rigid and thus exhibit excellent reactivity and stability based on minimized structural change thereof, can be prepared by introducing an acridane structure into the backbone thereof. The PNP ligand is structurally stable and has novel chemical properties, as compared to conventional similar ligands, and thus can be utilized in a wide range of catalytic reactions and material chemistry.

Compositions and methods of use related to metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and/or nanoparticles are generally described. In some embodiments, methods and compositions for the catalytic upgrading of alcohols using MOFs and/or nanoparticles associated with MOFs are generally described. In some embodiments, a catalytic MOF composition is provided, wherein the MOF composition comprises a MOF compound and a plurality of metal catalytic compounds. In some embodiments, an alcohol may be exposed to the MOF composition and/or a plurality of nanoparticles associated with the MOF composition such that the alcohol is converted to a higher order alcohol. Advantageously, in some embodiments, the alcohol conversion occurs at a relatively high turnover frequency and/or with a relatively high selectivity as compared to traditional methods for converting alcohols.

A confined porphyrin Co(II), which is prepared by the following method: Equimolar amounts of aromatic aldehyde and pyrrole are condensed under acidic conditions to synthesize phenyl porphyrin compounds; the phenyl porphyrin compounds are metallized in a chloroform-methanol solution to obtain porphyrin Cu(II), which is brominated and demetallized to obtain confined porphyrin; the confined porphyrin is stirred and refluxed in a methanol solution for 12.0-24.0 h to obtain confined porphyrin Co(II). Its application is as follows: The confined porphyrin Co(II) is dissolved in cycloalkanes; the reaction system is sealed, and heated to 100 to 130° C. with stirring, to which oxygen is introduced to 0.2 to 3.0 MPa; the reaction is carried out for 3.0 to 24.0 h with stirring with the set temperature and oxygen pressure being maintained; and then the reaction solution is subjected to post-treatment to obtain the products.

A high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst, a method for fabricating the same, and applications of the same are disclosed. An organic complexing ligand, which is formed via mixing fatty alcohols and alicyclic carbonates, is used to generate a high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst. The high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst includes at least one double-metal-cyanide compound, at least one organic complexing ligand, and an optional functionalized compound. The double-metal-cyanide catalyst of the present invention has a higher activity than the conventional double-metal-cyanide catalysts. The polyols generated by the present invention has an insignificant amount of high-molecular-weight compounds.

A new metal organic framework (MOF) series and method of synthesizing the same are disclosed which includes an organic linking ligand having the formula:

##STR00001##

and a metal ion bonded to the organic linking ligand.

Aminoalcohol lipidoids are prepared by reacting an amine with an epoxide-terminated compound are described. Methods of preparing aminoalcohol lipidoids from commercially available starting materials are also provided. Aminoalcohol lipidoids may be prepared from racemic or stereochemically pure epoxides. Aminoalcohol lipidoids or salts forms thereof are preferably biodegradable and biocompatible and may be used in a variety of drug delivery systems. Given the amino moiety of these aminoalcohol lipidoid compounds, they are particularly suited for the delivery of polynucleotides. Complexes, micelles, liposomes or particles containing the inventive lipidoids and polynucleotide have been prepared. The inventive lipidoids may also be used in preparing microparticles for drug delivery. They are particularly useful in delivering labile agents given their ability to buffer the pH of their surroundings.

The present disclosure provides novel methods of making aluminum complexes with utility for promoting epoxide carbonylation reactions. Methods include reacting neutral metal carbonyl compounds with alkylaluminum complexes. For example, a compound of formula I: ##STR00001##
is reacted with a neutral metal carbonyl compound (such as Q′.sub.dM.sub.e(CO).sub.w′) to produce an aluminum-based carbonylation catalyst: ##STR00002##

The instant disclosure provides a process for synthesis of compound of Formula:

X.sub.a- M.sup.z+-Y.sub.b,

wherein M.sup.z+ is a transition metal ion and X and Y are carboxylate anions. The catalysts are hydrocarbon soluble and the process for their preparation, as disclosed herein, constitutes an elegant method for the preparation of such catalysts.

A hydroformylation catalyst having excellent catalytic activity and stability, a composition including the hydroformylation catalyst, and a method of preparing an aldehyde using the hydroformylation catalyst, wherein, when hydroformylation of an olefin compound is performed in the presence of the hydroformylation catalyst to prepare an aldehyde, the normal/iso (n/i) ratio of the prepared aldehyde is lowered, and synthesis gas yield is increased.