The invention relates to a process for the preparation of an alkanediol and a dialkyl carbonate comprising reacting an alkylene carbonate and an alkanol in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is aluminum phosphate.

A catalytic bed for the partial oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride which comprises at least one first catalytic layer and at least one second catalytic layer, wherein each catalytic layer consists of a vanadium and phosphorus mixed oxide (VPO) catalyst and only the catalyst of the second catalytic layer further comprises tungsten, and wherein the second catalytic layer constitutes 25% to 45% of the total length of the catalytic bed and is arranged consecutively after the first catalytic layer along the direction in which the mixture of gases comprising the oxidation reagents flows. The present invention also relates to a process for producing maleic anhydride by partial oxidation of n-butane which uses the catalytic bed.

Redox catalysts having surface medication, methods of making redox catalysts with surface modification, and uses of the surface modified redox catalysts are provided. In some aspects, the redox catalysts include a core oxygen carrier region and an outer shell having an average thickness of about 1-100 monolayers surrounding the outer surface of the core region.

A process for synthesizing an azo compound by oxidation of a hydrogen compound in the presence of a catalyst and a compound of formula (I) is described in which R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3

(R.sub.1)(R.sub.2)C(PO.sub.3(R.sub.3).sub.2).sub.2(I)

are as defined. The use of a compound of formula (I) as complexing agent for a catalyst is also described.

The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a first oxide having a phosphate, a ratio of Brnsted acid sites to Lewis acid sites between 0.05 and 1.00, and a total acidity between 50 mol/g and 300 mol/g, where the phosphate is at least one of a functional group covalently bonded to the first oxide and/or an anion ionically bonded to the first oxide.

A process for continuous, on-demand production of dilute acrolein liquid on-site, at or near the point of acrolein injection, by the liquid dehydration of glycerol in an improved tubular reactor where non-aqueous glycerol is combined with a heteropolyacid catalyst, including silicotungstic acid, phosphotungstic acid, or phosphomolybdic acid. The acid catalyst is evenly dissolved and dispersed in the glycerol upstream of the reactor vessel. The reaction is conducted in a tubular reactor which is heated to an elevated reaction temperature. The dilute acrolein produced in the tubular reactor is directed downstream, optionally through a liquid-liquid heat exchanger and then an air-liquid heat exchanger to reduce temperature, and then diluted prior to being injected into sulfide contaminated systems (such as oil & gas water floods, water disposal systems, producing oil wells, and fuel oil storage) via a pressure conduit.

Methods for making acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof by contacting a stream containing hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with either an active catalyst containing an amorphous and partially-dehydrated phosphate salt or a precursor catalyst containing a crystalline phosphate salt in a reactor with a low corrosion rate are provided.

Redox catalysts having surface medication, methods of making redox catalysts with surface modification, and uses of the surface modified redox catalysts are provided. In some aspects, the redox catalysts include a core oxygen carrier region such as CaMnO.sub.3, BaMnO.sub.3-, SrMnO.sub.3-, Mn.sub.2SiO.sub.4, Mn.sub.2MgO.sub.4-, La.sub.0.8Sr.sub.0.2O.sub.3-, La.sub.0.8Sr.sub.0.2FeO.sub.3-, Ca.sub.9Ti.sub.0.1Mn.sub.0.9O.sub.3-, Pr.sub.6O.sub.11-, manganese ore, or a combination thereof; and an outer shell having an average thickness of about 1-100 monolayers surrounding the outer surface of the core region. The outer shell can include, for example a salt selected such as Li.sub.2WO.sub.4, Na.sub.2WO.sub.4, K.sub.2WO.sub.4, SrWO.sub.4, Li.sub.2MoO.sub.4, Na.sub.2MoO.sub.4, K.sub.2MoO.sub.4, CsMoO.sub.4, Li.sub.2CO.sub.3, Na.sub.2CO.sub.3, K.sub.2CO.sub.3, or a combination thereof.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of an alkanediol and a dialkyl carbonate comprising reacting an alkylene carbonate and an alkanol in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is aluminum phosphate.

Disclosed is a cost-effective process for catalytic conversion of simple C.sub.6-based sugars (such as glucose and fructose) and industrial-grade sugar syrups derived from starch (such as different grades of High Fructose Corn Syrup) and cellulosic biomass to 5-HydroxyMethylFurfural (5-HMF) in a continuous-flow tubular reactor in bi-phasic media using inexpensive heterogeneous solid catalysts. Commercial and synthesized heterogeneous solid catalysts were used and their activities in terms of sugar conversion and HMF selectivity and yield were compared. Continuous dehydration of fructose, glucose and industrial-grade sugar syrups derived from corn and wood to HMF was achieved and the stability of selected catalysts and feasibility of catalyst recycling and regeneration were demonstrated. The performance of the catalysts and reactor system were examined under different operating conditions including reaction temperature, feeding flow rate, initial feedstock concentration, catalyst loading, presence of extracting organic solvent and phase transfer catalyst and aqueous to organic phase ratio. At the best operating conditions, HMF yield attained 60%, 45% and 53%, from dehydration of fructose, glucose and HFCS-90, respectively.