The use of a metal complex containing a ruthenium ion or an osmium ion, and a tridentate aminodicarbene ligand, the tridentate aminodicarbene ligand having one secondary amino group and two specific heterocyclic carbene groups sandwiching the amino group, enables hydrogenation reduction of carbonyl compounds, such as ketones, carboxylic acid esters, lactones, carboxylic acid amides, and lactams, and imine compounds under relatively mild conditions to produce corresponding alcohols, amines, and the like in a high yield with high catalytic efficiency. The metal complex is obtained by a method comprising steps of reacting a specific metal compound with a specific aminodicarbene precursor and subsequently reacting a specific compound. Reduction of a carbonyl compound or an imine compound in the presence of this metal complex using a hydrogen donor makes it possible to reduce the carbonyl compound or imine compound by hydrogenation.

A catalyst system comprising i) a 2-[(phosphinyl)aminyl] cyclic imine transition metal compound complex and ii) an organoaluminum compound. A process comprising contacting i) ethylene, ii) a catalyst system comprising (a) a 2-[(phosphinyl)aminyl] cyclic imine transition metal compound complex, and (b) an organoaluminum compound, and iii) optionally hydrogen to form an oligomer product.

The disclosure provides use of an efficient, recyclable, green and friendly catalyst to realize a method of hydrogenation of an unsaturated alkene, and a method for preparing biodiesel through the transesterification of soybean oil with ethanol. The method of hydrogenation of the unsaturated alkene comprises performing a hydrogenation reaction of an unsaturated alkene at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure by using a CO.sub.2 and magnetic dual-responsive mesoporous poly(ionic liquid) as a catalyst I, and using n-hexane and water as a solvent, to obtain a corresponding saturated alkane. The method for preparing biodiesel through transesterification of soybean oil with ethanol comprises performing a transesterification reaction of soybean oil with ethanol at a temperature of 25-90° C. and atmospheric pressure by using a CO.sub.2 and magnetic dual-responsive mesoporous poly(ionic liquid) as a catalyst II, to obtain the biodiesel.

The present disclosure relates to a method of using homogenous rhodium-BIPHEPHOS catalysts comprising for the hydroformylation of an allyl alcohol. In some aspects, the methods provided herein relate to the hydroformylation of allyl alcohol to produce 4-hydroxybutyraldehyde in a continuous process.

The invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of 2,2′-bis indenyl biphenyl ligands of following formula (3): The invention also relates to metallocene complexes prepared using the novel process for the preparation of 2,2-bis indenyl biphenyl ligands. The invention also relates to novel intermediates used in the process for the preparation of 2,2′-bis indenyl biphenyl ligands. ##STR00001##

There is provided a novel optically active bisphosphinomethane useful as a ligand for an asymmetric catalyst, excellent in oxidation resistance in air, and easy in handling. There is also provided a transition metal complex using the optically active bisphosphinoraethane having excellent asymmetric catalytic ability as a ligand. The optically active bisphosphinomethane is represented by the general formula (1), and the transition metal complex has the optically active bisphosphinomethane as a ligand. ##STR00001##
(In the formula, R.sup.1 represents an adamantyl group; R.sup.2 represents a branched alkyl group having 3 or more carbon atoms; and * represents an asymmetric center on a phosphorus atom.)

A method for synthesizing (R)-(−)-1-((S)-2-diphosphino ferrocene)-ethyl-diphosphine by: 1) adding vinylferrocene, a chiral catalyst, and toluene to a first drying reactor; adding a phosphorus-hydrogen compound to the first drying reactor and allowing reactants in the first drying reactor to react; cooling the first drying reactor; adding water dropwise to the first drying reactor; extracting, drying, and recrystallizing a product to yield (R)-1-ferrocenylethyl-diphosphine; 2) adding the (R)-1-ferrocenylethyl-diphosphine and ether to a second drying reactor; adding a hexane solution including diethylzinc to the second drying reactor and allowing reactants in the second drying reactor to react; adding a phosphorus-chlorine compound dropwise to the second drying reactor, and heating and refluxing the reaction mixture in the second drying reactor; adding water to quench the reaction mixture in the second drying reactor; and extracting, drying, and recrystallizing the reaction mixture.

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.

Novel catalytic compositions are disclosed comprising novel unsymmetrical metallocene catalytic compounds. Also disclosed are uses of such catalytic compositions in olefin polymerisation reactions, as well as processes of polymerising olefins. When compared with the prior art compositions, the catalytic compositions of the invention are markedly more active in the polymerisation of olefins.

Subject of the invention is a process for producing a biofuel from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by transesterification of vegetable oils, comprising the steps of (a) ethenolysis of the fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of ethylene and an ethenolysis catalyst, and (b) isomerizing metathesis in the presence of an isomerization catalyst and a metathesis catalyst.

The invention also relates to biofuels obtainable by the inventive process and to uses of ethylene for adjusting and optimizing biofuels.