Catalysts prepared from abundant, cost effective metals, such as cobalt, nickel, chromium, manganese, iron, and copper, and containing one or more neutrally charged ligands (e.g., monodentate, bidentate, and/or polydentate ligands) and methods of making and using thereof are described herein. Exemplary ligands include, but are not limited to, phosphine ligands, nitrogen-based ligands, sulfur-based ligands, and/or arsenic-based ligands. In some embodiments, the catalyst is a cobalt-based catalyst or a nickel-based catalyst. The catalysts described herein are stable and active at neutral pH and in a wide range of buffers that are both weak and strong proton acceptors. While its activity is slightly lower than state of the art cobalt-based water oxidation catalysts under some conditions, it is capable of sustaining electrolysis at high applied potentials without a significant degradation in catalytic current. This enhanced robustness gives it an advantage in industrial and large-scale water electrolysis schemes.

Provided is a process for recovery of a functionalized compound reaction product comprising contacting (i) an oxidizing electrophile comprising a main group element, and (ii) a compound comprising at least one CH bond, in an acidic medium to form a reaction milieu comprising a functionalized compound reaction product, contacting the reaction milieu with a water-immiscible organic solvent, separating the water-immiscible organic solvent from the reaction milieu, wherein the functionalized compound reaction product is dissolved in the water-immiscible organic solvent, and separating the functionalized compound reaction product and the water-immiscible organic solvent. The water-immiscible extraction solvent can be the same compound as the compound comprising as least one CH bond, for example, propane or n-butane.

Provided is a process for recovery of a functionalized compound reaction product comprising contacting (i) an oxidizing electrophile comprising a main group element, and (ii) a compound comprising at least one CH bond, in an acidic medium to form a reaction milieu comprising a functionalized compound reaction product, contacting the reaction milieu with a water-immiscible organic solvent, separating the water-immiscible organic solvent from the reaction milieu, wherein the functionalized compound reaction product is dissolved in the water-immiscible organic solvent, and separating the functionalized compound reaction product and the water-immiscible organic solvent. The water-immiscible extraction solvent can be the same compound as the compound comprising as least one CH bond, for example, propane or n-butane.

A method for producing branched aldehydes is proposed, the method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a culture of one or more fungi of the genus Conidiobolus and producing biomass containing branched carboxylic acids in free and/or bound form; (b) extracting the biomass from step (a) to produce a first intermediate containing free and/or bound carboxylic acids; (c) optionally chemically, enzymatically or microbially hydrolyzing the bound carboxylic acids from the first intermediate; (d) treating the first intermediate with a reducing agent of a chemical nature to convert the free and/or bound carboxylic acids into the corresponding alcohols and optionally separating one or more alcohols from interfering by-products and producing the chemically produced second intermediate containing these alcohols as a mixture or in enriched form; (e) treating the first intermediate with a reducing agent of a biological nature to convert the free and/or bound carboxylic acids into the corresponding aldehydes having the same number of carbon atoms compared to the free and/or bound carboxylic acids or into the corresponding aldehydes having a reduced number of carbon atoms by one compared to the free and/or bound carboxylic acids and producing the biologically produced second intermediate containing these aldehydes; (f) treating the chemically produced second intermediate with an oxidizing agent of a chemical nature to convert the free and/or bound alcohols into the corresponding aldehydes; and optionally (g) removing interfering by-components from the fractions obtainable after step(s) (d) and/or (e) and/or (f).

A method for producing branched aldehydes is proposed, the method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a culture of one or more fungi of the genus Conidiobolus and producing biomass containing branched carboxylic acids in free and/or bound form; (b) extracting the biomass from step (a) to produce a first intermediate containing free and/or bound carboxylic acids; (c) optionally chemically, enzymatically or microbially hydrolyzing the bound carboxylic acids from the first intermediate; (d) treating the first intermediate with a reducing agent of a chemical nature to convert the free and/or bound carboxylic acids into the corresponding alcohols and optionally separating one or more alcohols from interfering by-products and producing the chemically produced second intermediate containing these alcohols as a mixture or in enriched form; (e) treating the first intermediate with a reducing agent of a biological nature to convert the free and/or bound carboxylic acids into the corresponding aldehydes having the same number of carbon atoms compared to the free and/or bound carboxylic acids or into the corresponding aldehydes having a reduced number of carbon atoms by one compared to the free and/or bound carboxylic acids and producing the biologically produced second intermediate containing these aldehydes; (f) treating the chemically produced second intermediate with an oxidizing agent of a chemical nature to convert the free and/or bound alcohols into the corresponding aldehydes; and optionally (g) removing interfering by-components from the fractions obtainable after step(s) (d) and/or (e) and/or (f).

The invention relates to a method for producing cyclododecanone (CDON). During the production, contaminated cyclododecane (CDAN) is produced. This can be separated from CDON by distillation (CDAN-containing fraction). The separation of CDAN and impurities such as 13-oxabicyclo [7.3.1]tridacane occurs by crystallizing out CDAN from the CDAN-containing fraction.

The invention relates to a method for producing cyclododecanone (CDON). During the production, contaminated cyclododecane (CDAN) is produced. This can be separated from CDON by distillation (CDAN-containing fraction). The separation of CDAN and impurities such as 13-oxabicyclo [7.3.1]tridacane occurs by crystallizing out CDAN from the CDAN-containing fraction.

A process for preparing aryl ketones is disclosed. The process includes photo-oxidizing a compound of formula (V), (VI), (VII) or (VIII): ##STR00001##
in the presence of an oxidative system comprising at least one bromide compound to form aryl ketones. X.sub.1, X.sub.2, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3, L.sub.4, t, n, m and p have the meanings as described in the specification and claims.

A process for preparing aryl ketones is disclosed. The process includes photo-oxidizing a compound of formula (V), (VI), (VII) or (VIII): ##STR00001##
in the presence of an oxidative system comprising at least one bromide compound to form aryl ketones. X.sub.1, X.sub.2, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3, L.sub.4, t, n, m and p have the meanings as described in the specification and claims.

A process for preparing aryl ketones is disclosed. The process includes photo-oxidizing a compound of formula (V), (VI), (VII) or (VIII): ##STR00001##
in the presence of an oxidative system comprising at least one bromide compound to form aryl ketones. X.sub.1, X.sub.2, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3, L.sub.4, t, n, m and p have the meanings as described in the specification and claims.