This disclosure provides methods for the chemical modification of triglycerides that are highly enriched in specific fatty acids and subsequent use thereof for producing functionally versatile polymers.

The present invention provides novel Ruthenium-based transition metal complex catalysts comprising specific ligands, their preparation and their use in hydrogenation processes. Such complex catalysts are inexpensive, thermally robust, and olefin selective.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing 1,4-butanediol (BDO) by hydrogenating 2-butyne-1,4-diol (BYD) or 4-hydroxybutanal (4-HBA) in the presence of a catalyst of the Raney type having a porous foam structure, wherein the macroscopic pores have sizes in the range of 100 to 5000 μm, and a bulk density of up to 0.8 kg/L.

Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed, and these processes include the steps of forming a supported chromium catalyst comprising chromium in a hexavalent oxidation state, irradiating the hydrocarbon reactant and the supported chromium catalyst with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum to reduce at least a portion of the supported chromium catalyst to form a reduced chromium catalyst, and hydrolyzing the reduced chromium catalyst to form a reaction product comprising the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound. The supported chromium catalyst can be formed by heat treating a supported chromium precursor, contacting a chromium precursor with a solid support while heat treating, or heat treating a solid support and then contacting a chromium precursor with the solid support.

Process for the continuous production of an optically active carbonyl compound by asymmetric hydrogenation of a prochiral α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound with hydrogen in the presence of a homogeneous rhodium catalyst that has at least one chiral ligand, wherein a liquid reaction mixture comprising the prochiral α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound is subjected in a first, backmixed reactor to a gas/liquid two-phase hydrogenation, and the liquid reaction mixture is then further hydrogenated in a second reactor, wherein the prochiral α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound is employed in the first reactor in a concentration from 3% to 20% by weight. The process allows a high total conversion to the prochiral α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound.

The present invention relates to a method for separating off a substance from a solution, in which electromagnetic radiation is radiated into the solution, an intensity of the electromagnetic radiation which has been scattered by crystals located in the solution is detected, the detected intensity is compared with a desired intensity (I.sub.S) and the temperature of the solution is regulated depending on the difference between the detected intensity and the desired intensity (I.sub.S) in such a way that the amount of this difference is reduced. If the amount of the difference between the detected intensity and the desired intensity (I.sub.S) is less than a limiting value, a crystallization method is started in which crystals of the substance are obtained which are then separated off.

The present disclosure generally relates to the production of fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof. The compounds used to produce the fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof may be derived from biomass. The fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof may be produced by a combination of intermolecular and/or intramolecular aldol condensation reactions, Guerbet reactions, hydrogenation reactions, and/or oligomerization reactions.

A process for simultaneously hydrating and oligomerizing a hydrocarbon feed comprising mixed olefins incudes the steps of: (a) introducing the hydrocarbon feed in the presence of water into a fixed bed; (b) contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a catalyst within said fixed bed reactor, where the catalyst is of the type that hydrates the mixed olefins to form mixed alcohols and oligomerizes at least a portion of the mixed olefins into oligomers to produce a first product stream that includes an organic phase and an aqueous phase; (c) introducing the first product stream into a first separator which separates the organic phase from the aqueous phase; (d) introducing the separated organic phase into a second separator which separates unreacted olefins from mixed alcohols and one or more oligomers which comprise a final product stream; and (e) introducing the separated aqueous phase into a third separator which separates an alcohol-water azeotrope component from water.

Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed, and these processes include the steps of forming a supported chromium catalyst comprising chromium in a hexavalent oxidation state, irradiating the hydrocarbon reactant and the supported chromium catalyst with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum to reduce at least a portion of the supported chromium catalyst to form a reduced chromium catalyst, and hydrolyzing the reduced chromium catalyst to form a reaction product comprising the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound. The supported chromium catalyst can be formed by heat treating a supported chromium precursor, contacting a chromium precursor with a solid support while heat treating, or heat treating a solid support and then contacting a chromium precursor with the solid support.

The present invention is related to a novel and improved process for the preparation of 3,7-dimethylnonan-1-ol.