The present invention relates to the field of catalytic hydrogenation and, more particularly, to the use of Fe complexes with tridentate ligands, having one amino or imino coordinating group and two phosphino coordinating groups, in hydrogenation processes for the reduction of ketones or aldehydes, into the corresponding alcohol or diol, respectively.

A method for producing at least one olefin compound selected from the group consisting of a compound of formula (51) and a compound of formula (52), the method including reacting an olefin compound of formula (21) with a olefin compound of formula (31) in the presence of at least one metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of a compound of formula (11), a compound of formula (12), a compound of formula (13), a compound of formula (14), and a compound of formula (15). ##STR00001##

A method is provided of forming an olefin from a first olefin and a second olefin in a metathesis reaction, comprising reacting the first olefin with the second olefin in the presence of a compound that catalyzes the metathesis reaction such that the molar ratio of the compound to the first or the second olefin is from 1:500 or less, and the conversion of the first or the second olefin to the olefin is at least 30%.

Silica-coated alumina activator-supports, and catalyst compositions containing these activator-supports, are disclosed. Methods also are provided for preparing silica-coated alumina activator-supports, for preparing catalyst compositions, and for using the catalyst compositions to polymerize olefins.

The invention relates to a process for preparing an aromatic carbonate, comprising reacting a dialkyl carbonate or an alkyl aryl carbonate with an aryl alcohol or an alkyl aryl carbonate, resulting in an aromatic carbonate which is an alkyl aryl carbonate or a diaryl carbonate.

The present invention relates to an optically pure (+) or (?) enantiomer of a ruthenium complex having formula (I) as well as the preparation method of said enantiomer, and uses thereof as catalyst, in particular in asymmetric olefin metathesis.

##STR00001##

An isopoly-vanadic acid coordination polymer catalyst, method of manufacturing the same, and application thereof are provided. The isopoly-vanadic acid coordination polymer catalyst has a chemical formula of [Co(atrz)(V.sub.2O.sub.6)]. The atrz is a 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole ligand, and [V.sub.2O.sub.6] is a binuclear vanadate anion. The isopoly-vanadic acid coordination polymer catalyst shows strong thermal stability, and it is easy to synthesize with high reproducibility. The isopoly-vanadic acid coordination polymer catalyst has a good catalytic activity towards the bulk ring-opening of p-dioxanone. The resulting poly(p-dioxanone) is stable and uniform. The high molecular weight of the resulting poly(p-dioxanone) has great potential in high polymer materials, in particular the field of medical high polymer materials.

The disclosure relates to a method for chemically recycling a condensation polymer, which includes melt-processing a mixture including a condensation polymer and an internal catalyst to increase the amorphous content of the polymer, followed by depolymerizing polymer in a reaction medium with a reactive solvent. Melt-processing and quenching of a condensation polymer generally reduces the crystalline content of the polymer and correspondingly increases the amorphous content of the polymer, which makes the polymer more amenable to subsequent depolymerization. Inclusion of the internal catalyst, for example a volatile organic catalyst, during melt-processing not only improves the relative degree of amorphization during melt-processing, but it also enhances the rate and conversion of the depolymerization stage that would otherwise be rate-limited by mass transport of an external catalyst from the bulk reaction medium to the polymer surface for depolymerization.

The method relates to the field of asymmetric allylic amination and comprises preparing a chiral N-substituted allylic amine compound from the corresponding allylic substrates and substituted hydroxylamines, in the presence of a catalyst, said catalyst comprising copper compounds and a chiral ligand. Examples of chiral amine compounds which can be made using the method include Vigabatrin, Ezetimibe Terbinafine, Naftifine 3-methylmorphine, Sertraline, Cinacalcet, Mefloquine hydrochloride, and Rivastigmine. There are over 20,000 known bioactive molecules with chiral N-substituted allylic amine substructure. The method may also be used to produce non-natural chiral 13-aminoacid esters, a sub-class of chiral N-substituted allylic amine compounds. Examples of 13-aminoacid ester which can be produced by the disclosed method, include, but are not limited to, N-(2-methylpent-1-en-3-yl)benzenamine and Ethyl 2-methylene-3-(phenylamino)butanoate. Further, the products of the method described herein can be used to produce chiral heterocycles and bioactive molecules or materials. A novel chiral copper-BINAM nitrosoarene complex is also set forth.

Silica-coated alumina activator-supports, and catalyst compositions containing these activator-supports, are disclosed. Methods also are provided for preparing silica-coated alumina activator-supports, for preparing catalyst compositions, and for using the catalyst compositions to polymerize olefins.