The invention relates to a process comprising reacting mevalonic acid, or a solution comprising mevalonic acid, to yield a first product or first product mixture, optionally in the presence of a solid catalyst and/or at elevated temperature and/or pressure. The invention further relates to a process comprising: (a) providing a microbial organism that expresses a biosynthetic mevalonic acid pathway; (b) growing the microbial organism in fermentation medium comprising suitable carbon substrates, whereby biobased mevalonic acid is produced; and (c) reacting said biobased mevalonic acid to yield a first product or first product mixture.

The present invention discloses processes for alkylating an aromatic compound, such as benzene or toluene, using a chemically-treated solid oxide. Suitable chemically-treated solid oxides include fluorided silica-coated alumina and fluorided-chlorided silica-coated alumina.

The present invention discloses processes for alkylating an aromatic compound, such as benzene or toluene, using a chemically-treated solid oxide. Suitable chemically-treated solid oxides include fluorided silica-coated alumina and fluorided-chlorided silica-coated alumina.

Ferrocenyl-based unsymmetrical ligands containing di(1-adamantyl)phosphino groups with general formula, Fc(Ad.sub.2P) (R.sub.2P) and corresponding metal complexes, include metal halide complexes, N-biphenyl metal cationic complexes and R-allyl metal cationic complexes, useful in catalysis. The ligands and complexes overcome problems with conventional catalysts, providing new routes to previously challenging cross-coupling reactions, including CP coupling, C.sub.sp2C.sub.sp3 coupling and other conventional cross-coupling applications, while being scalable so that they can be provided in sufficient quantity and purity for industrial applications.

Ferrocenyl-based unsymmetrical ligands containing di(1-adamantyl)phosphino groups with general formula, Fc(Ad.sub.2P) (R.sub.2P) and corresponding metal complexes, include metal halide complexes, N-biphenyl metal cationic complexes and R-allyl metal cationic complexes, useful in catalysis. The ligands and complexes overcome problems with conventional catalysts, providing new routes to previously challenging cross-coupling reactions, including CP coupling, C.sub.sp2C.sub.sp3 coupling and other conventional cross-coupling applications, while being scalable so that they can be provided in sufficient quantity and purity for industrial applications.

The present invention concerns a zeolitic adsorbent agglomerate comprising at least one zeolite of faujasite type comprising sodium and/or lithium and/or calcium, and/or barium and/or potassium, of porosity between 25% and 45%, and having a standard deviation ? of crystal size distribution in said agglomerate of less than 0.30 ?m. The invention also concerns the use of the zeolitic adsorbent agglomerate to separate hydrocarbon mixtures, and the process to separate hydrocarbon mixtures using said zeolitic adsorbent agglomerate.

The present invention concerns a zeolitic adsorbent agglomerate comprising at least one zeolite of faujasite type comprising sodium and/or lithium and/or calcium, and/or barium and/or potassium, of porosity between 25% and 45%, and having a standard deviation ? of crystal size distribution in said agglomerate of less than 0.30 ?m. The invention also concerns the use of the zeolitic adsorbent agglomerate to separate hydrocarbon mixtures, and the process to separate hydrocarbon mixtures using said zeolitic adsorbent agglomerate.

A method of reducing a CO bond to the corresponding CH bond in a substrate, which could be a benzylic alcohol, allylic alcohol, ester or an ether bond beta to a hydroxyl group or alpha to a carbonyl group using a recyclable metal catalyst system. The recyclable catalyst system is also applicable to reducing a CO bond to the corresponding COH bond and then CH bond. These methodologies can be linked in one-pot to selective oxidation and depolymerizations of aromatic polyols such as lignin.

A method of reducing a CO bond to the corresponding CH bond in a substrate, which could be a benzylic alcohol, allylic alcohol, ester or an ether bond beta to a hydroxyl group or alpha to a carbonyl group using a recyclable metal catalyst system. The recyclable catalyst system is also applicable to reducing a CO bond to the corresponding COH bond and then CH bond. These methodologies can be linked in one-pot to selective oxidation and depolymerizations of aromatic polyols such as lignin.

Methods are provided for the treatment of a feed stream containing C9 aromatic components to produce mesitylene-containing products. The methods include hydrodealkylating the feed stream to remove C2 and higher alkyl groups from the aromatic components and transalkylating the feed stream to rearrange the distribution of methyl groups among the aromatic components. Disclosed methods also include the treatment of a hydrocarbon feedstock by hydrodealkylation and/or transalkylation in order to produce a hydrocarbon product having an increased mass percentage of mesitylene.