A method for producing a dicyclopentadiene-modified phenolic resin. The method including reusing a fluorine-based ion-exchange resin as a catalyst in a reaction between a phenol and a dicyclopentadiene, the fluorine-based ion-exchange resin having been used as a catalyst when a phenol and a dicyclopentadiene are allowed to react with each other to produce a first dicyclopentadiene-modified phenolic resin. In the method, the fluorine-based ion-exchange resin is washed with an organic solvent. The dicyclopentadiene-modified phenolic resin obtained by the method has a stable quality, has a high purity, and is inexpensive.

In an embodiment, a catalyst comprises a porous carrier having 5 to 200 pores per 2.54 centimeters and a pore volume of at least 90 vol % based on the total volume of the porous carrier; wherein the porous carrier comprises one or both of carbon and a metal; and a sulfonated, cross-linked polystyrene located on at least part of a surface of the porous carrier.

In an embodiment, a catalyst comprises a porous carrier having 5 to 200 pores per 2.54 centimeters and a pore volume of at least 90 vol % based on the total volume of the porous carrier; wherein the porous carrier comprises one or both of carbon and a metal; and a sulfonated, cross-linked polystyrene located on at least part of a surface of the porous carrier.

A method of producing one or more glycerol ethers, the method comprising contacting glycerol and tertiary butanol (TBA) in the presence of an acidic catalyst to produce one or more glycerol ethers selected from mono-tert butyl glycerol ethers, di-tert butyl glycerol ethers, tri-tert butyl glycerol ethers, or a combination thereof; separating water and a stream comprising isobutylene, unreacted TBA, or a combination thereof from the one or more glycerol ethers; and recycling at least a portion of the stream comprising isobutylene, unreacted TBA, or a combination thereof to the contacting. Also disclosed is a process of co-producing isooctene, wherein the process involves contacting glycerol and tertiary butanol in the presence of a dehydrating catalyst and dimerizing/oligomerizing the dehydrated products in the presence of an oligomerizing catalyst to form isooctene, a precursor of isooctane and isomers thereof.

A method of producing one or more glycerol ethers, the method comprising contacting glycerol and tertiary butanol (TBA) in the presence of an acidic catalyst to produce one or more glycerol ethers selected from mono-tert butyl glycerol ethers, di-tert butyl glycerol ethers, tri-tert butyl glycerol ethers, or a combination thereof; separating water and a stream comprising isobutylene, unreacted TBA, or a combination thereof from the one or more glycerol ethers; and recycling at least a portion of the stream comprising isobutylene, unreacted TBA, or a combination thereof to the contacting. Also disclosed is a process of co-producing isooctene, wherein the process involves contacting glycerol and tertiary butanol in the presence of a dehydrating catalyst and dimerizing/oligomerizing the dehydrated products in the presence of an oligomerizing catalyst to form isooctene, a precursor of isooctane and isomers thereof.

A novel approach for the conversion of biomass based hemicellulose prehydrolysate to high value succinic acid has been investigated using a heterogeneous acid catalyst, Amberlyst 15 and hydrogen peroxide. A vital intermediate in this process, furfural, was oxidized in a biphasic system to produce succinic acid. Production of furfural in good yields is a limiting step in such processes for a number of reasons. Among the organic solvents evaluated, toluene was found to be an ideal solvent for furfural extraction and facilitated the conversion of furfural to succinic acid. Simultaneous extraction of furfural into the organic solvent as it is produced, increased the overall yield. It was observed that the developed method resulted in a succinic acid yield of 49% from the furfural obtained from hemicellulose prehydrolysate. It was found that 50 mg of Amberlyst 15 per mmole of furfural resulted in 100% FA conversion in less time.

A platinum group metal ion-supported catalyst in which platinum group metal ions or platinum group metal complex ions are supported on a non-particulate organic porous ion exchanger, wherein the non-particulate organic porous ion exchanger is formed of a continuous framework phase and a continuous pore phase; has a thickness of a continuous framework of 1 to 100 m, an average diameter of continuous pores of 1 to 1000 m, and a total pore volume of 0.5 to 50 ml/g; has an ion exchange capacity per weight in a dry state of 1 to 9 mg equivalent/g; and has ion exchange groups wherein the ion exchange groups are uniformly distributed in the organic porous ion exchanger.

Isomerized olefin products are produced by contacting an olefin feed containing a C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 normal alpha olefin, a solid acid catalyst, and a C.sub.2 to C.sub.15 primary ester to form the isomerized olefin product. Typical primary esters used in the processes include formates and acetates. Linear olefin compositions are produced that contain at least 80 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 linear internal olefins, less than 8 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 normal alpha olefins, less than 8 wt. % dimers of C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 olefins, less than 15 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 branched olefins, and at least 1 wt. % C.sub.2 to C.sub.15 primary ester and less than 8 wt. % secondary esters.

Isomerized olefin products are produced by contacting an olefin feed containing a C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 normal alpha olefin, a solid acid catalyst, and a C.sub.2 to C.sub.15 primary ester to form the isomerized olefin product. Typical primary esters used in the processes include formates and acetates. Linear olefin compositions are produced that contain at least 80 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 linear internal olefins, less than 8 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 normal alpha olefins, less than 8 wt. % dimers of C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 olefins, less than 15 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 branched olefins, and at least 1 wt. % C.sub.2 to C.sub.15 primary ester and less than 8 wt. % secondary esters.

Processes for producing a linear internal olefin product include the steps of contacting an olefin feed containing C.sub.10-C.sub.20 vinylidenes and a C.sub.10-C.sub.20 normal alpha olefin and/or C.sub.10-C.sub.20 linear internal olefins, a first acid catalyst, and a C.sub.1 to C.sub.18 carboxylic acid to form a first reaction product containing linear internal olefins, trisubstituted olefins, and secondary esters, then removing all or a portion of the secondary esters from the first reaction product, followed by contacting the secondary esters and a second acid catalyst to form a second reaction product comprising linear internal olefins, and then removing all or a portion of the linear internal olefins from the second reaction product to form the linear internal olefin product. Linear alkanes subsequently can be produced by hydrogenating the linear internal olefin product to form a linear alkane product.