Epoxidation methods and catalyst are described herein. The epoxidation catalysts generally include a metal component including silver and a support material including kaolinite, wherein the epoxidation catalyst includes less than 55 wt. % metal component.

Photocatalysts and methods of making and using the same are disclosed. The photocatalyst includes a TIO2 ultra-nanoparticle having a single Fe, Co, Mn, Cr, or W atom positioned as an engineered defect within the particle and a single metal catalyst atom bound proximal to the single Fe, Co, Mn, Cr, or W atom. The method of making the photocatalyst includes generating a plurality of ultra-nano TIO2 particles, each having a single Fe, Co, Mn, Cr, or W atom positioned as an engineered defect within the particle. The method further includes photodepositing a single metal catalyst atom proximal to the single Fe, Co, Mn, Cr, or W atom for at least a portion of the ultra-nano TIO2 particles, thereby creating the disclosed photocatalyst. The single metal catalyst atom is in a positive oxidation state and can be Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru, Rh, Os, Re, Au, Ni, Zn, or Cu.

Disclosed is a propylene direct oxidation reaction catalyst capable of preparing a propylene oxide from propylene and oxygen at a higher yield than catalysts prepared by conventional methods, by applying a specific transition metal oxide promoter in preparation of a catalyst containing silver, a transition metal oxide promoter and a carrier through a slurry process. The present invention provides a propylene direct oxidation reaction catalyst, which is a supported silver catalyst used for preparing a propylene oxide from the propylene direct oxidation reaction, the catalyst including a molybdenum oxide and a tungsten oxide as a catalyst promoter.

Disclosed is a method for producing, among others, alkenes and/or saturated or unsaturated oxygenates and, which include at least one of an aldehyde and an acid, comprising subjecting the corresponding C3 to C5 aliphatic alcohols that are derivable from biomass, to a vapor phase process over the catalytic system in the presence of a gas mixture of oxygen, air or nitrogen and/or other suitable diluting gas. The catalyst system comprises multi-catalytic zones, in each of which the composition of the co-feed and other reaction parameter can be independently controlled.

Isomerization of normal paraffins to form branched paraffins may be complicated by significant cracking of C.sub.7+ paraffins under isomerization reaction conditions. This issue may complicate upgrading of hydrocarbon feeds having significant quantities of heavier normal paraffins. Cracking selectivity may be decreased by combining one or more naphthenic compounds with a feed mixture comprising at least one C.sub.7+ normal paraffin and/or by utilizing tungstated zirconium catalysts having decreased tungsten loading. Further, C.sub.5 and C.sub.6 normal paraffins may undergo isomerization in the presence of C.sub.7+ normal paraffins. Methods for isomerizing normal paraffins may comprise: providing a feed mixture comprising at least C.sub.5-C.sub.7 normal paraffins and lacking normal paraffins larger than C.sub.8; and contacting the feed mixture with a bifunctional mixed metal oxide catalyst under isomerization reaction conditions effective to form a product mixture comprising one or more branched paraffins formed from each of the C.sub.5-C.sub.7 normal paraffins.

A photocatalytic functional film has a structure of a substrate, a barrier layer and a photocatalytic layer stacked one on another. The barrier layer is an amorphous TiO.sub.2 film, the photocatalyst layer comprises an amorphous TiO.sub.2 film, and particles of visible light responsive photocatalytic material formed on the surface of the amorphous TiO.sub.2 film. A method for producing a photocatalytic functional film includes: adding an alcohol solvent and an acid to a titanium precursor to obtain a TiO.sub.2 amorphous sol by dehydration and de-alcoholization reaction; applying and drying the TiO.sub.2 amorphous sol on a substrate to form a barrier layer; and applying and drying a composition formed by mixing particles of visible light responsive photocatalyst material with the TiO.sub.2 amorphous sol on the barrier layer, to form a photocatalyst layer.

Described herein are heterogeneous materials comprising a p-type semiconductor comprising two metal oxide compounds of the same metal in two different oxidation states and an n-type semiconductor having a deeper valence band than the p-type semiconductor valence bands, wherein the semiconductor types are in ionic communication with each other. The heterogeneous materials enhance photocatalytic activity.

The invention provides a catalyst system comprising: a) one or more silver tungstate-containing species; and b) one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation, wherein the weight ratio of said one or more silver tungstate-containing species to the one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation is greater than 2.5:1, on the basis of the total weight of the catalyst system; and a process for the preparation of monoethylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, by contacting said starting material with hydrogen in a reactor at a reactor temperature in the range of from 145 to 190 C. in the presence of a solvent and said catalyst system.

The invention provides a catalyst system comprising: a) one or more catalytic species comprising silver and tungsten therein; and b) one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation; and a process for the preparation of monoethylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, by contacting said starting material with hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a solvent and said catalyst system.

Processes are disclosed for the conversion of 1,6-hexanediol to adipic acid employing a chemocatalytic reaction in which 1,6-hexanediol is reacted with oxygen in the presence of particular heterogeneous catalysts including at least one of platinum or gold. The metals are preferably provided on a support selected from the group of titania, stabilized titania, zirconia, stabilized zirconia, silica or mixtures thereof, most preferably zirconia stabilized with tungsten. The reaction with oxygen is carried out at a temperature from about 100? C. to about 300? C. and at a partial pressure of oxygen from about 50 psig to about 2000 psig.