A transfer hydrogenation process for forming vicinal diols by hydrogenating 1,2-dioxygenated organic compounds using alcohols as the reducing agent instead of the traditional H.sub.2 gas. The transfer hydrogenation is carried out under milder conditions of temperature and pressure than is typical for ester hydrogenation with H.sub.2. The milder conditions of operation provide benefits, such as lower operating and capital costs for industrial scale production as well as savings in product purification due to the avoidance of by-products from exposure of reaction mixtures and products to high temperatures.

Iron-based homogeneous catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed in the transfer hydrogenation of esters using C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alcohols as sacrificial hydrogen donors to produce corresponding alcohols from the esters. No external H.sub.2 pressure is required. The reaction can be carried out under ambient pressure.

The present disclosure relates to the formation of terephthalate esters. The present invention also relates to the depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or poly(ethylene glycol-co-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol terephthalate) and the recovery of terephthalate esters.

The present disclosure relates to the formation of terephthalate esters. The present invention also relates to the depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or poly(ethylene glycol-co-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol terephthalate) and the recovery of terephthalate esters.

A polymer, methods of making the polymer, methods of recycling the polymer and compositions including the polymer are described. The polymer can contain repeating units of Formula (I), where n is 1 and denotes number of repeat units, X is an aliphatic group, and Z is an aliphatic hydro-carbon group having at least 45 carbon atoms, preferably 45 to 1,000 carbon atoms, and has a degree of saturation 98 to 100%. The polymer contains 0.01 to 40 ester groups per 1000 backbone carbon units and has a melt temperature (Tm) of 40? C. to 180? C. as measured by DSC at a heating rate of 10? C. per min.

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A macromolecules containing metal and a use thereof as a catalyst, said macromolecules containing metal being obtained by causing a ligand to react with a zinc compound or a cobalt compound, said ligand having an imidazole group that is bonded to a macromolecule via a linker.

A transfer hydrogenation process for forming vicinal diols by hydrogenating 1,2-dioxygenated organic compounds using alcohols as the reducing agent instead of the traditional H.sub.2 gas. The transfer hydrogenation is carried out under milder conditions of temperature and pressure than is typical for ester hydrogenation with H.sub.2. The milder conditions of operation provide benefits, such as lower operating and capital costs for industrial scale production as well as savings in product purification due to the avoidance of by-products from exposure of reaction mixtures and products to high temperatures.

Iron-based homogeneous catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed in the transfer hydrogenation of esters using C.sub.2-C.sub.12 alcohols as sacrificial hydrogen donors to produce corresponding alcohols from the esters. No external H.sub.2 pressure is required. The reaction can be carried out under ambient pressure.

A method for preparation of polyols from an unsaturated TAG oil that involves first epoxidizing the unsaturated TAG oil; then subjecting the epoxidized TAG oil to transesterification using a diol and/or triol in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydroxyalkyl esters of fatty acid epoxides; and finally hydroxylating the transesterification product using a diol and/or triol and a solid acid catalyst to obtain a polyol with relatively high hydroxyl value and low viscosity.

The present invention relates to the depolymerization of polymers and the recovery of the starting materials used for the production of the polymer. The present invention also relates to the depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and the recovery of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol.