An improved catalyst for hydrodemetallization of heavy crude oils and residua is disclosed. The catalyst is adopted for fixed bed hydroprocessing units. The invention is characterized for having a large pore diameter catalyst principally for hydrodemetallization of heavy oil and residue in a first reactor of a multi-reactor process. The catalyst has high demetallizing activity and high metal deposition capacity which results in good stability with time on stream (TOS). The hydrorefining catalyst is obtained by kneading a porous starting powder principally composed of gamma-alumina and having a pore capacity of 0.3-0.6 ml/g or larger and a mean pore diameter of 10 to 26 nm, extrudating and calcining, and after that supported with active metals component of elements belonging to groups VIIIB and VIB of the periodic table.

Semiconductor particles are used as a photocatalyst for inducing a water-splitting reaction where water molecules decompose into oxygen molecules and hydrogen molecules by addition of a co-catalyst and light irradiation, the semiconductor particles including strontium titanate doped with scandium. A synthesis method of a semiconductor for the photocatalyst includes a synthesis step of synthesizing the semiconductor particles including strontium titanate doped with scandium by mixing strontium chloride (SrCl.sub.2), strontium titanate (SrTiO.sub.3), and scandium oxide (Sc.sub.2O.sub.3) and firing the mixture.

A catalyst comprising a Group IIIA metal, a Group VIII noble metal, and an optional promoter metal, on a support selected from silica, alumina, silica-alumina compositions, rare earth modified alumina, and combinations thereof, doped with iron, a Group VIB metal, a Group VB metal, or a combination thereof, offers decreased reactivation time under air soak in comparison with otherwise identical catalysts. Reducing reactivation time may, in turn, reduce costs, both in inventory and capital.

A catalyst comprising a Group IIIA metal, a Group VIII noble metal, and an optional promoter metal, on a support selected from silica, alumina, silica-alumina compositions, rare earth modified alumina, and combinations thereof, doped with iron, a Group VIB metal, a Group VB metal, or a combination thereof, offers decreased reactivation time under air soak in comparison with otherwise identical catalysts. Reducing reactivation time may, in turn, reduce costs, both in inventory and capital.

A catalytic composite for a cyclic process of adiabatic, non-oxidative dehydrogenation of an alkane into an olefin, comprising a dehydrogenation catalyst, a semimetal and a carrier supporting the catalyst and the semimetal. During the reduction and/or regeneration stages of the adiabatic process, the semimetal releases heat which can be used to initiate the dehydrogenation reactions, which are endothermic in nature, thereby reducing the need for hot air flow and combustion of coke as heat input. The semi-metal is inert towards the dehydrogenation reaction itself, alkane feed and olefin product as well as other side reactions of the cyclic process such as cracking and decoking.

The invention relates to converting non-aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of CO.sub.2 to produce aromatic hydrocarbon. CO.sub.2 methanation using molecular hydrogen produced during the aromatization increases aromatic hydrocarbon yield. The invention also relates to equipment and materials useful in such upgrading, to processes for carrying out such upgrading, and to the use of such processes for, e.g., natural gas upgrading.

The present invention provides a method for selectively producing an alcohol by efficiently hydrogenating a lactone. The present invention is a method for producing an alcohol, the method including hydrogenating a substrate lactone represented by Formula (1), in the presence of a catalyst described below, to produce an alcohol that is represented by Formula (2). In the formulae, R represents a divalent hydrocarbon group which may have a hydroxyl group. The catalyst comprises: metal species including M.sub.1 and M.sub.2; and a support supporting the metal species, and wherein M.sub.1 is rhodium, platinum, ruthenium, iridium, or palladium; M.sub.2 is tin, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten, or rhenium; and the support is hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite, hydrotalcite, or ZrO.sub.2. ##STR00001##

A method for producing ethyl acetate by reacting ethylene with acetic acid is provided in which side reactions are inhibited from proceeding and a continuous stable operation is possible over a long period. The method for producing ethyl acetate comprises reacting ethylene with acetic acid in the presence of a catalyst comprising a support and, fixed thereto, a heteropolyacid or a salt thereof, the catalyst having a palladium concentration in the range of 0.1-14 mass ppb.

A method for converting one or more hydrocarbons includes feeding a fluid comprising one or more light alkanes to a reactor system, and producing one or more oxygenates from the one or more light alkanes in the reactor system. The reactor system comprises a reactor containing at least one catalyst, the at least one catalyst comprises one or more oxides of molybdenum, vanadium, niobium, cerium, titanium, zirconium, and one or more precious metals. An oxygenate productivity is higher than about 50 g/kg cat.h after 100 hours of time on stream.

The present disclosures and inventions relate to a supported catalyst composition for the catalytic oxidation of a hydrocarbon such as propane with oxygen or air, in the presence of a catalyst composition comprising a support material and a mixed metal composition comprising metals in the molar ratios described by the formula Mo.sub.aV.sub.bGa.sub.cPd.sub.dNb.sub.eZ.sub.f, wherein the support material is neutral or oxidative.