Disclosed herein is the use of manganese, iron, cobalt, or nickel complexes containing tridentate pyridine di-imine ligands as hydrosilylation catalysts. These complexes are effective for efficiently catalyzing hydrosilylation reactions, as well as offering improved selectivity and yield over existing catalyst systems.

Processes for producing an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, such as acrylic acid, or a salt thereof, using solid promoters are disclosed. The solid promoters can be certain solid oxides, mixed oxides, and clays, illustrative examples of which can include alumina, zirconia, magnesia, magnesium aluminate, sepiolite, and similar materials.

A long life catalyst is provided that is conveniently and inexpensively capable of being produced and that is highly active and has inhibited metal leakage. According to aspects of the present invention, a catalyst is provided that includes: a polymer including a plurality of first structural units and a plurality of second structural units; and metal acting as a catalytic center, wherein at least part of the metal is covered with the polymer, each of the plurality of first structural units has a first atom constituting a main chain of the polymer and a first substituent group bonded to the first atom, a second atom included in each of the plurality of second structural units is bonded to the first atom, and the second atom is different from the first atom, or at least one of all substituent groups on the second atom is different from the first substituent group.

The invention describes phospho-amino pincer-type ligands, metal complexes thereof, and catalytic methods comprising such metal complexes for conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol, conversion of aldehydes into alcohols, conversion of aldehydes in the presence of a trifluoromethylation agent into trifluorinated secondary alcohols, cycloaddition of carbon dioxide to an epoxide to provide cyclic carbonates or preparation of an amide from the combination of an alcohol and an amine.

A hydrosilylation reaction catalyst prepared from: a catalyst precursor comprising a transition metal compound, excluding platinum, belonging to group 8-10 of the periodic table, e.g., iron acetate, cobalt acetate, nickel acetate, etc.; and a ligand comprising an isocyanide compound such as t-butyl isocyanide. The hydrosilylation reaction catalyst has excellent handling and storage properties. As a result of using this catalyst, a hydrosilylation reaction can be promoted under gentle conditions.

N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidine compounds, N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidinates, N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidine metal salt complexes, N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidinate metal salt complexes are described. Methods for making N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidine compounds, N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidinates, N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidine metal salt complexes, and N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidinate metal salt complexes are also disclosed. Catalyst systems utilizing the N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidine metal salt complexes and N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidinate metal salt complexes are also disclosed along with the use of the N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidine compounds, N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidinates, N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidine metal salt complexes, and N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidinate metal salt complexes for the oligomerization and/or polymerization of olefins.

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.

Processes for producing an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, such as acrylic acid, or a salt thereof, using treated solid oxides are disclosed. The treated solid oxides can be calcined solid oxides, metal-treated solid oxides, or metal-treated chemically-modified solid oxides, illustrative examples of which can include sodium-treated alumina, calcium-treated alumina, zinc-treated alumina, sodium-treated sulfated alumina, sodium-treated fluorided silica-coated alumina, and similar materials.

Catalytic process for preparing an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid salt, comprising reacting an alkene and carbon dioxide in the presence of a carboxylation catalyst and releasing the α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid salt with a base, the carboxylation catalyst being a transition metal complex, which comprises a structurally constrained bidentate P,X ligand, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of P, N, O, and carbene, the P and X atom are separated by 2 to 4 bridging atoms, and wherein the bridging atoms are part of at least one 5- to 7-membered cyclic substructure. A further catalytic processes for preparing α-βethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives from CO.sub.2 and an alkene is provided.

The present invention relates to air stable, binary Ni(0)-olefin complexes and their use in organic synthesis.