Hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof are dehydrated using a catalyst and a method to produce bio-acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof. A method to produce the dehydration catalyst is also provided.

The present invention provides: a method for producing a shaped product comprising octacalcium phosphate and having a volume of 2.0 mm.sup.3 or more, comprising immersing a precursor ceramic composition containing at least one of Ca and PO.sub.4 in composition, having a solubility in H.sub.2O higher than that of octacalcium phosphate, and having a volume greater than 2.0 mm.sup.3, in a solution containing a component which is not contained in the precursor ceramic composition, among the components Ca, PO.sub.4 and H.sub.2O, which are components of octacalcium phosphate to allow the precursor ceramic composition to react, thereby converting at least a part of the precursor ceramic composition into octacalcium phosphate; and the like.

Hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof are dehydrated using a catalyst and a method to produce bio-acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof. A method to produce the dehydration catalyst is also provided.

The present invention relates to a permanently polarized hydroxyapatite and a composition or material comprising thereof. The present invention further relates to a process for obtaining a permanently polarized hydroxyapatite and to different uses of the permanently polarized hydroxyapatite or the composition or material comprising thereof.

The present invention provides: a method for producing a shaped product comprising octacalcium phosphate and having a volume of 2.0 mm.sup.3 or more, comprising immersing a precursor ceramic composition containing at least one of Ca and PO.sub.4 in composition, having a solubility in H.sub.2O higher than that of octacalcium phosphate, and having a volume greater than 2.0 mm.sup.3, in a solution containing a component which is not contained in the precursor ceramic composition, among the components Ca, PO.sub.4 and H.sub.2O, which are components of octacalcium phosphate to allow the precursor ceramic composition to react, thereby converting at least a part of the precursor ceramic composition into octacalcium phosphate; and the like.

This disclosure provides for routes of synthesis of acrylic acid and other ,-unsaturated carboxylic acids and their salts, including catalytic methods. For example, there is provided a process for producing an ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, the process comprising: (1) contacting in any order, a group 8-11 transition metal precursor, an olefin, carbon dioxide, a diluent, and a metal-treated chemically-modified solid oxide such as a sulfur oxoacid anion-modified solid oxide, a phosphorus oxoacid anion-modified solid oxide, or a halide ion-modified solid oxide, to provide a reaction mixture; and (2) applying reaction conditions to the reaction mixture suitable to produce the ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid or the salt thereof. Methods of regenerating the metal-treated chemically-modified solid oxide are described.

Described herein are solid acid catalysts and the methods for catalytically preparing ,-unsaturated carboxylic acids and/or esters thereof. In one aspect, a zeolite catalyst may be used. The catalyst may, in certain embodiments, be modified to improve the selectivity and/or conversion of a reaction. For instance, a catalyst may be modified by ion exchange to achieve a desirable acidity profile in order to achieve high level of conversion of reactants and selectivity for desirable products of the catalytic reaction. In another aspect, a variety of feed stocks (e.g., starting compositions) may be used including an -hydroxycarboxylic acid, an -hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, a -hydroxycarboxylic acid, a -hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, cyclic esters thereof (e.g., lactide), and combinations thereof.

A catalyst, which can be used even under mild conditions and also has durability so as to enable repeated use while maintaining high activity, and with which a reduction reaction for converting an amide compound into an amine compound can be carried out, is provided by means of an amide compound hydrogenation reaction catalyst characterized in that platinum and vanadium are supported on a carrier and a method for producing an amine compound using the same.

The present invention relates to a permanently polarized hydroxyapatite and a composition or material comprising thereof. The present invention further relates to a process for obtaining a permanently polarized hydroxyapatite and to different uses of the permanently polarized hydroxyapatite or the composition or material comprising thereof.

A photocatalyst, represented by the following general formula (1):
X(VO.sub.4).sub.6(OH).sub.2General Formula (1) wherein X represents Z.sub.a1Ti.sub.b1 or Z.sub.a2Ti.sub.b2Ag.sub.c2 (where Z is Ca or Sr; a1 is 7.0 to 9.5; b1 is 0.5 to 3.0; a2 is 7.0 to 9.5; b2 is 0.4 to 1.5; c2 is 0.1 to 2.0; a1+b1 is 9.0 to 10.0; and a2+b2+c2 is 9.0 to 10.0) in the general formula (1).