A catalyst for treating heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks. The catalyst comprises a calcined particle comprising a co-mulled mixture made by co-mulling inorganic oxide powder, molybdenum trioxide powder, and a nickel compound or cobalt compound, or both compounds, and then forming the co-mulled mixture into a particle that is calcined to provide the calcined particle. The calcination is conducted at a temperature such that at least 20% of the pore volume of the calcined particle is in pores of greater than 5,000 ? and less than 70% of the pore volume of the calcined particle is in the pores having a pore size in the range of from 70 to 250 ?.

The present invention relates to methods of preparing carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) by reacting biomass, a biomass component (e.g., lignin, ligno-cellulose, cellulose, hemiceullose or combination thereof) or a carbohydrate from any source with a polyoxometalate catalyst such as H.sub.5PV.sub.2Mo.sub.10O.sub.40, or solvates thereof, in the presence of a concentrated acid, under conditions sufficient to yield carbon monoxide (CO); followed by electrochemical release of hydrogen (H.sub.2). The carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) may be combined in any desired proportion to yield synthesis gas (Syngas). The present invention further relates to methods for preparing H.sub.2, CO and formic acid/formaldehyde from biomass, a biomass component and/or from carbohydrates.

The present invention relates to methods of preparing carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) by reacting biomass, a biomass component (e.g., lignin, ligno-cellulose, cellulose, hemiceullose or combination thereof) or a carbohydrate from any source with a polyoxometalate catalyst such as H.sub.5PV.sub.2Mo.sub.10O.sub.40, or solvates thereof, in the presence of a concentrated acid, under conditions sufficient to yield carbon monoxide (CO); followed by electrochemical release of hydrogen (H.sub.2). The carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) may be combined in any desired proportion to yield synthesis gas (Syngas). The present invention further relates to methods for preparing H.sub.2, CO and formic acid/formaldehyde from biomass, a biomass component and/or from carbohydrates.

The invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising a mixed oxide of vanadium, titanium, and phosphorus modified with alkali metal. The titanium component is derived from a water-soluble, redox-active organo-titanium compound. The catalyst composition is highly effective at facilitating the vapor-phase condensation of formaldehyde with acetic acid to generate acrylic acid, particularly using an industrially relevant aqueous liquid feed.

The invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising a mixed oxide of vanadium, titanium, and phosphorus modified with alkali metal. The titanium component is derived from a water-soluble, redox-active organo-titanium compound. The catalyst composition is highly effective at facilitating the vapor-phase condensation of formaldehyde with acetic acid to generate acrylic acid, particularly using an industrially relevant aqueous liquid feed.

An object is to provide a method capable of stably producing a catalyst molded article which is favorable in moldability in a step of molding a dried catalyst product and which provides a high yield of ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid, and methods for producing ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid and ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester with the catalyst molded article. The object is achieved by a method for producing a catalyst molded article by preparing a catalyst raw material-containing slurry with a catalyst production apparatus washed under specified conditions, and methods for producing ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid and ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester with the catalyst molded article.

An object is to provide a method capable of stably producing a catalyst molded article which is favorable in moldability in a step of molding a dried catalyst product and which provides a high yield of ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid, and methods for producing ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid and ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester with the catalyst molded article. The object is achieved by a method for producing a catalyst molded article by preparing a catalyst raw material-containing slurry with a catalyst production apparatus washed under specified conditions, and methods for producing ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid and ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester with the catalyst molded article.

An object is to provide a method for producing a catalyst molded article which is high in mechanical strength and which enables unsaturated aldehyde and/or unsaturated carboxylic acid to be produced at high yield(s). The object is achieved by a method for producing a catalyst molded article, the method including (1) a step of adding an ammonium radical to a slurry (liquid A) including molybdenum and phosphorus, at a rate satisfying the following expression (I), to prepare a slurry (liquid B), 0.1v/M3 (I), in which v represents the rate of addition of the ammonium radical [mol/hour], and M represents the mass of the liquid A [kg], (2) a step of adjusting the pH of the liquid B, to prepare a slurry (liquid C) having a pH lower than that of the liquid B by 0.2 or more and having a pH of 4 or less, (3) a step of drying the liquid C, to obtain a catalyst powder, (4) a step of mixing the catalyst powder and a liquid, to produce a catalyst powder mixture, and (5) a step of molding the catalyst powder mixture, to produce a catalyst molded article, in which the penetration rate coefficient of the liquid to the catalyst powder in step (4) is 0.07 g.sup.2/s or more.

An object is to provide a method for producing a catalyst molded article which is high in mechanical strength and which enables unsaturated aldehyde and/or unsaturated carboxylic acid to be produced at high yield(s). The object is achieved by a method for producing a catalyst molded article, the method including (1) a step of adding an ammonium radical to a slurry (liquid A) including molybdenum and phosphorus, at a rate satisfying the following expression (I), to prepare a slurry (liquid B), 0.1v/M3 (I), in which v represents the rate of addition of the ammonium radical [mol/hour], and M represents the mass of the liquid A [kg], (2) a step of adjusting the pH of the liquid B, to prepare a slurry (liquid C) having a pH lower than that of the liquid B by 0.2 or more and having a pH of 4 or less, (3) a step of drying the liquid C, to obtain a catalyst powder, (4) a step of mixing the catalyst powder and a liquid, to produce a catalyst powder mixture, and (5) a step of molding the catalyst powder mixture, to produce a catalyst molded article, in which the penetration rate coefficient of the liquid to the catalyst powder in step (4) is 0.07 g.sup.2/s or more.

An object is to provide a catalyst which has high heat resistance and which can allow for production of methacrylic acid at a high yield, and to provide methods for producing methacrylic acid and methacrylic acid ester with the catalyst, and the object is achieved by use of a catalyst having a specified .sup.31P-NMR spectrum.