Catalytic methods for synthesis of super linear alkenyl arenes and alkyl arenes are provided. The methods are capable of synthesizing super linear alkyl and alkenyl arenes from simple arene and olefin starting materials and with high selectivity for linear coupling. Methods are also provided for making a 2,6-dimethylnapthalene (DMN) or 2,6-methylethylnapthalene (MEN).

The present invention provides a class of catalyst compounds that can safely and effectively release hydrogen gas from a chemical substrate without producing either noxious byproducts or byproducts that will deactivate the catalyst. The present invention provides catalysts used to produce hydrogen that has a satisfactory and sufficient lifespan (measured by turnover number (TON)), that has stability in the presence of moisture, air, acid, or impurities, promote a rapid reaction rate, and remain stable under the reaction conditions required for an effective hydrogen production system. Described herein are compounds for use as catalysts, as well as methods for producing hydrogen from formic acid and/or a formate using the disclosed catalysts. The methods include contacting formic acid and/or a formate with a catalyst as described herein, as well as methods of producing formic acid and/or a formate using the disclosed catalyst and methods for generating electricity using the catalysts described herein.

A confined porphyrin Co(II), which is prepared by the following method: Equimolar amounts of aromatic aldehyde and pyrrole are condensed under acidic conditions to synthesize phenyl porphyrin compounds; the phenyl porphyrin compounds are metallized in a chloroform-methanol solution to obtain porphyrin Cu(II), which is brominated and demetallized to obtain confined porphyrin; the confined porphyrin is stirred and refluxed in a methanol solution for 12.0-24.0 h to obtain confined porphyrin Co(II). Its application is as follows: The confined porphyrin Co(II) is dissolved in cycloalkanes; the reaction system is sealed, and heated to 100 to 130° C. with stirring, to which oxygen is introduced to 0.2 to 3.0 MPa; the reaction is carried out for 3.0 to 24.0 h with stirring with the set temperature and oxygen pressure being maintained; and then the reaction solution is subjected to post-treatment to obtain the products.

A system and methods for manufacturing a base oil stock from a light hydrocarbon stream are provided. An example method includes cracking a light hydrocarbon stream to form an impure olefinic stream, separating water from the impure olefinic stream, and oligomerizing the impure olefinic stream to form a raw oligomer stream. A light olefinic stream from the raw oligomer stream and linear alpha olefins are recovered from the light olefinic stream. A heavy olefinic stream is distilled from the raw oligomer stream and hydro-processed to form a hydro-processed stream. They hydro-processed stream is distilled to form the base oil stock.

The disclosure relates to dicarbonyl complexes of ruthenium and osmium with bi- and tridentate nitrogen and phosphine ligands. The disclosure relates to methods for preparing these complexes and the use of these complexes, isolated or prepared in situ, as catalysts for reduction reactions of ketones and aldehydes both via transfer hydrogenation or hydrogenation with hydrogen.

The present disclosure provides novel methods of making aluminum complexes with utility for promoting epoxide carbonylation reactions. Methods include reacting neutral metal carbonyl compounds with alkylaluminum complexes. For example, a compound of formula I: ##STR00001##
is reacted with a neutral metal carbonyl compound (such as Q′.sub.dM.sub.e(CO).sub.w′) to produce an aluminum-based carbonylation catalyst: ##STR00002##

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for Rh(I) catalysts, methods of making alkenyl substituted arenes (e.g., allyl arene, vinyl arene, and the like), methods of making alkyl substituted arenes, and the like.

The present invention relates to a selective reduction of specific aldehydes and ketones to their corresponding alcohols.

The present invention provides a method for preparing 1,5-pentanediol via hydrogenolysis of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. The catalyst used in the method is prepared by supporting a noble metal and a promoter on an organic polymer supporter or an inorganic hybrid material supporter, wherein the supporter is functionalized by a nitrogen-containing ligand. When the catalyst is used in the hydrogenolysis of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol to prepare 1,5-pentanediol, a good reaction activity and a high selectivity can be achieved. The promoter and the nitrogen-containing ligand in the supporter are bound to the catalyst through coordination, thereby the loss of the promoter is significantly decreased, and the catalyst has a particularly high stability. The lifetime investigation of the catalyst, which has been reused many times or used continuously for a long term, suggests that the catalyst has no obvious change in performance, thus reducing the overall process production cost.

In one aspect, oligomeric and polymeric species are described herein exhibiting new architectures and associated properties. In some embodiments, such species are synthesized by oligomerization or polymerization of diene monomer via cycloaddition in the presence of a transition metal complex. Oligomers described herein, for example, comprise cyclobutane units in the oligomer backbone. Similarly, a polymers described herein comprise cyclobutane units in the polymer backbone.