A process for the preparation of C.sub.4 oxygenate compounds such as threose, erythrose or erythrulose starting from a composition comprising C.sub.1-3 oxygenate compounds such as formaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, glyoxal, pyruvaldehyde or acetol, wherein the process is carried out in the presence of a crystalline microporous material having a ring pore structure selected from an eight-membered ring pore structure or a ten-membered ring pore structure.

Preparation of 2,5,6-trihydroxy-3-hexenoic acid and 2,5-dihydroxy-3-pentenoic acid and esters thereof from C6 and C5 sugars in the presence of a Lewis Acid material, wherein the yield of the 2,5,6-trihydroxy-3-hexenoic acid or 2,5-dihydroxy-3-pentenoic acid or esters thereof exceeds 15%. The process including the steps of contacting a saccharide composition including one or more C6 and/or C5 saccharide units with a Lewis Acid material; and recovering 2,5,6-trihydroxy-3-hexenoic acid and/or 2,5-dihydroxy-3-pentenoic acid or the esters thereof.

A catalyst for synthesizing aromatic hydrocarbons, a preparation method thereof and a method for synthesizing aromatic hydrocarbons by using the catalyst. The catalyst comprises acidic molecular sieve particles and zinc-aluminum composite oxide particles. The catalyst has relatively high selectivity to aromatic hydrocarbons, particularly BTX, stable performance, and a long single-pass life.

The present invention relates to a rare earth element containing zeolitic material having a framework structure selected from the group consisting of AEI, AFT, AFV, AFX, AVL, CHA, EMT, GME, KFI, LEV, LTN, and SFW, including mixtures of two or more thereof, the framework structure of the zeolitic material comprising SiO.sub.2 and X.sub.2O.sub.3, wherein X stands for a trivalent element, wherein the zeolitic material displays an SiO.sub.2:X.sub.2O.sub.3 molar ratio in the range of from 2 to 20, and wherein the zeolitic material contains one or more rare earth elements as counter-ions at the ion exchange sites of the framework structure. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process for the production of the inventive rare earth element containing zeolitic material as well as to the use of the inventive rare earth element containing zeolitic material as such and as obtainable and/or obtained according to the inventive process.

Catalysts and methods for use in conversion of glycerides and free fatty acids to biodiesel are described. A batch or continuous process may be used with the catalysts for transesterification of triglycerides with an alkyl alcohol to produce corresponding mono carboxylic acid esters and glycerol in high yields and purity. Similarly, alkyl and aryl carboxylic acids and free fatty acids are also converted to corresponding alkyl esters. Catalysts are capable of simultaneous esterification and transesterification under same process conditions. The described catalysts are thermostable, long lasting, and highly active.

Composite catalysts includes zeolite particles at least partially embedded in a catalyst support material and at least one catalytically active compound deposited on the outer surfaces and pore surfaces of the catalyst support material, zeolite particles, or both. A method of making the composite catalysts may include preparing a catalyst precursor mixture that includes the zeolite, catalyst support material, triblock copolymer surfactant, and the catalytically active compound precursor and spray drying the catalyst precursor mixture. The composite catalysts may be used as a single catalyst for conducting olefin metathesis and cracking reactions. A method for producing propene may include contacting a butene-containing feed with the composite catalysts.

A hydrocarbon conversion catalyst composition which comprises ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 zeolite particles and refractory oxide binder essentially free of alumina in which the average aluminium concentration of the ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 zeolite particles is at least 1.3 times the aluminium concentration at the surface of the particles, processes for preparing such catalyst compositions and processes for converting hydrocarbon feedstock with the help of such compositions.

New process of producing alpha-hydroxy compounds from sustainable resources useful as platform chemicals, such as hydroxy analogues of amino acids or polymer precursors.

Direct conversion of syngas to light olefins is carried out in a fixed bed or a moving bed reactor with a composite catalyst A+B. The active ingredient of catalyst A is active metal oxide; and catalyst B is one or more than one of zeolite of CHA and AEI structures or metal modified CHA and/or AEI zeolite. A spacing between geometric centers of the active metal oxide of the catalyst A and the particle of the catalyst B is 5 m-40 mm. A spacing between axes of the particles is preferably 100 m-5 mm, and more preferably 200 m-4 mm. A weight ratio of the active ingredients in the catalyst A and the catalyst B is within a range of 0.1-20 times, and preferably 0.3-5.

The present invention relates to a process for the conversion of ethylene oxide to 2-aminoethanol and/or Di(2-hydroxyethyl)amine comprising (i) providing a catalyst comprising a zeolitic material comprising YO2 and X2O3 in its framework structure, wherein Y is a tetravalent element and X is a trivalent element, wherein the zeolitic material has a framework-type structure selected from the group consisting of MFI and/or MEL, including MEL/MFI intergrowths, and wherein the zeolitic material contains one or more rare earth elements; (ii) providing a mixture in the liquid phase comprising ethylene oxide and ammonia; (iii) contacting the catalyst provided in (i) with the mixture in the liquid phase provided in (ii) for converting ethylene oxide to 2-aminoethanol and/or Di(2-hydroxyethyl)amine, wherein the catalyst provided in (i) is obtained and/or obtainable by a process comprising loading one or more salts of the one or more rare earth elements into the pores of the porous structure of the zeolitic material and optionally on the surface of the zeolitic material.