An object of the present invention is to provide a method for selectively producing a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, the method including reducing a dicarboxylic acid monoester by means of a heterogeneous reaction. According to a method for producing a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester in an embodiment of the present invention, a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester represented by Formula (2) is produced by reducing a substrate dicarboxylic acid monoester represented by Formula (1) in the presence of a catalyst.

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, or hydrotalcite.

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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 a hydrocracking catalyst includes preparing a framework substituted Y-type zeolite, preparing a binder, co-mulling the framework substituted Y-type zeolite, the binder, and one or more hydrogenative metal components to form a catalyst precursor, and calcining the catalyst precursor to generate the hydrocracking catalyst. The framework substituted Y-type zeolite is prepared by calcining a Y-type zeolite at 500° C. to 700° C. to form a calcined Y-type zeolite. Further, the framework substituted Y-type zeolite is prepared by forming a suspension containing the calcined Y-type zeolite, the suspension having a liquid to solid mass ratio of 5 to 15, adding acid to adjust the pH of the suspension to less than 2.0, adding and mixing one or more of a zirconium compound, a hafnium compound, or a titanium compound to the suspension, and neutralizing the pH of the suspension to obtain the framework substituted Y-type zeolite.

Provided is a photocatalyst layer that improves the photocatalytic performance while suppressing detachment of photocatalyst particles. The photocatalyst layer has a front surface and a rear surface on the opposite side of the front surface. The photocatalyst layer includes photocatalyst particles and a binder. The photocatalyst layer has a first region containing the photocatalyst particles and a second region containing the binder and not containing the photocatalyst particles. The photocatalyst particles include tungsten oxide particles. The photocatalyst particles have contact points being in contact with the rear surface. The ratio of the thickness of the second region to the number-average secondary particle diameter of the photocatalyst particles is 0.20 or more and 0.80 or less.

Proposed inventions are a recipe of denitrification-oxidation complex catalyst containing an SCR catalyst and an oxidation catalyst to simultaneously remove nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and ammonia, a manufacturing method thereof, an exhaust gas treatment method using the denitrification-oxidation complex catalyst, and an SCR denitrification system including the denitrification-oxidation complex catalyst. The denitrification-oxidation complex catalyst simultaneously removes nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and ammonia and exhibits an increased catalytic effect compared to the cases where the denitrification catalyst used alone and the denitrification and the oxidation catalyst ratios are and not properly balanced. When the denitrification-oxidation complex catalyst is applied to an SCR denitrification system, the structure is simplified, space is saved, cost is reduced, and catalyst maintenance is easy.

The present invention relates to a hydrocarbon conversion catalyst system comprising: a first composition comprising a dehydrogenation active metal on a solid support; and a second composition comprising a transition metal on an inorganic support and a hydrocarbon conversion process utilizing the hydrocarbon conversion catalyst system.

A novel catalyst composition and its use in the dehydrogenation of alkanes to olefins. The catalyst comprises a Group VIII noble metal and a metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, vanadium, chromium, titanium, and combinations thereof, on a support. The Group VIII noble metal can be platinum, palladium, osmium, rhodium, rubidium, iridium, and combinations thereof. The support can be silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, silica-alumina, cerium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, magnesium oxide, metal modified silica, silica-pillared clays, silica-pillared micas, metal oxide modified silica-pillared mica, silica-pillared tetrasilicic mica, silica-pillared taeniolite, zeolite, molecular sieve, and combinations thereof. The catalyst composition is an active and selective catalyst for the catalytic dehydrogenation of alkanes to olefins.

Methods of producing a catalyst for oxidation of C.sub.2 hydrocarbons and methods of using the catalyst are disclosed. Molybdenum, vanadium, and niobium metal or metal containing compounds are used to form a slurry in water. After agitating the slurry for at least 15 minutes, palladium or a palladium containing compound is added to the slurry. After further agitation, a precipitate is collected, dried and calcined to obtain an active catalyst, with palladium primarily distributed on a surface of the catalyst. The active catalyst is capable of catalyzing the conversion of C.sub.2 hydrocarbons into acetic acid.

Disclosed is a catalyst for producing the olefin. The catalyst includes a support including alumina and a sub-support component, and a metal oxide impregnated on the support. The metal oxide includes anyone selected from an oxide of chromium, vanadium, manganese, iron, cobalt, molybdenum, copper, zinc, cerium and nickel; and the sub-support component includes anyone selected from zirconium, zinc and platinum.

The present disclosure provides mixed molybdenum oxide catalysts, methods for preparing epoxides from olefins and CO2 using them, and methods of making the mixed molybdenum oxide catalysts by impregnation or co-precipitation. In a preferred embodiment, the mixed molybdenum oxide catalysts are silver/molybdenum oxide catalysts, ruthenium/molybdenum oxide catalysts, or a combination thereof.