A method for manufacturing 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene, including: reacting terephthaloyl chloride with diphenyl ether in a reaction solvent and in the presence of a Lewis acid, so as to obtain a product mixture comprising a 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene-Lewis acid complex; putting the product mixture in contact with a protic solvent, so as to obtain a first phase containing the Lewis acid and a second phase containing 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene; heating at least the second phase up to a maximum temperature, followed by cooling the second phase down to a separation temperature; subjecting at least the second phase to a solid/liquid separation step at the separation temperature, so as to recover solid 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene.

A method for manufacturing 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene, including: reacting terephthaloyl chloride with diphenyl ether in a reaction solvent and in the presence of a Lewis acid, so as to obtain a product mixture comprising a 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene-Lewis acid complex; putting the product mixture in contact with a protic solvent, so as to obtain a first phase containing the Lewis acid and a second phase containing 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene; heating at least the second phase up to a maximum temperature, followed by cooling the second phase down to a separation temperature; subjecting at least the second phase to a solid/liquid separation step at the separation temperature, so as to recover solid 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene.

Methods are disclosed for producing renewable base oil and a diesel oil from low-value biological oils. Low-value biological oils containing free fatty acids and fatty acid esters can be processed into a renewable base oil and a renewable diesel oil by first separating at least part of the saturated free fatty acids from the feedstock and then processing separately this saturated free acid feed in a ketonisation reaction followed by hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation reactions to yield a renewable base oil stream. The remaining free fatty acid depleted feed may be processed in a separate hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation step to yield a renewable diesel stream.

Methods are disclosed for producing renewable base oil and a diesel oil from low-value biological oils. Low-value biological oils containing free fatty acids and fatty acid esters can be processed into a renewable base oil and a renewable diesel oil by first separating at least part of the saturated free fatty acids from the feedstock and then processing separately this saturated free acid feed in a ketonisation reaction followed by hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation reactions to yield a renewable base oil stream. The remaining free fatty acid depleted feed may be processed in a separate hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation step to yield a renewable diesel stream.

A number of different branched hydrocarbon compounds (formula I) having a star-like configuration (S) are prepared from renewable oils containing fatty acids or derivatives containing fatty acids. The branched hydrocarbon compounds may be isolated individually or in mixtures, and may be used as part of base oils, such as renewable base oils (RBOs). A process for preparing the branched hydrocarbon compounds of formula I involve conditions that favour a trimerisation reaction followed by hydrotreating conditions. The compounds of formula I may be made by catalytically treating renewable material in a process, and the compounds have desirable qualities relating to lubrication, cold flow as well as having a low Noack volatility.

A method for manufacturing 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene, including: reacting terephthaloyl chloride with diphenyl ether in a reaction solvent and in the presence of a Lewis acid, so as to obtain a product mixture including a 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene-Lewis acid complex; contacting the product mixture with a protic solvent, so as to obtain a first phase containing the Lewis acid and a second phase containing 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene; heating at least the second phase up to a maximum temperature, followed by cooling the second phase down to a separation temperature; subjecting at least the second phase to a solid/liquid separation step at the separation temperature, so as to recover solid 1,4-bis(4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of preparing carbonate and/or formate from carbon dioxide. The apparatus of preparing carbonate and/or formate from carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), comprising: an electrolysis reactor comprising (i) an anode which contains an aqueous solution of a Group I metal salt as an electrolytic solution, (ii) an ion-exchange membrane through which metal cations derived from the Group I metal salt and water flow from an anode to a cathode, (iii) a cathode, and (iv) a gas diffusion layer which supplies a carbon dioxide-containing gas to the cathode; a power supply unit of applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode; a first gas-liquid separator of recovering the electrolytic solution from the products formed in the anode; a second gas-liquid separator of recovering carbonate and/or formate from the products formed in the cathode; a pH meter of measuring the pH of the electrolytic solution recovered from the first gas-liquid separator; a first reactant supply unit of supplying (a) the electrolytic solution recovered from the first gas-liquid separator and (b) the aqueous solution of the Group I metal salt with which the recovered electrolytic solution is replenished according to the pH of the electrolytic solution, to the anode; and a second reactant supply unit of supplying carbon dioxide or a mixer comprising carbon dioxide and water vapor to the cathode; wherein, when a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, in the anode, water undergoes electrolysis to generate hydrogen ions, oxygen, and electrons, and metal cations in the Group I metal salt are substituted with the hydrogen ions, while the generated metal cations move to the cathode through the ion-exchange membrane and the electrons move to the cathode through an external electric line; and in the cathode, carbon dioxide, water, metal cations, and electrons are reacted and produce carbonate and/or formate.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of preparing carbonate and/or formate from carbon dioxide. The apparatus of preparing carbonate and/or formate from carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), comprising: an electrolysis reactor comprising (i) an anode which contains an aqueous solution of a Group I metal salt as an electrolytic solution, (ii) an ion-exchange membrane through which metal cations derived from the Group I metal salt and water flow from an anode to a cathode, (iii) a cathode, and (iv) a gas diffusion layer which supplies a carbon dioxide-containing gas to the cathode; a power supply unit of applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode; a first gas-liquid separator of recovering the electrolytic solution from the products formed in the anode; a second gas-liquid separator of recovering carbonate and/or formate from the products formed in the cathode; a pH meter of measuring the pH of the electrolytic solution recovered from the first gas-liquid separator; a first reactant supply unit of supplying (a) the electrolytic solution recovered from the first gas-liquid separator and (b) the aqueous solution of the Group I metal salt with which the recovered electrolytic solution is replenished according to the pH of the electrolytic solution, to the anode; and a second reactant supply unit of supplying carbon dioxide or a mixer comprising carbon dioxide and water vapor to the cathode; wherein, when a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, in the anode, water undergoes electrolysis to generate hydrogen ions, oxygen, and electrons, and metal cations in the Group I metal salt are substituted with the hydrogen ions, while the generated metal cations move to the cathode through the ion-exchange membrane and the electrons move to the cathode through an external electric line; and in the cathode, carbon dioxide, water, metal cations, and electrons are reacted and produce carbonate and/or formate.

A process for preparing a 2-(1,2,2-trimethyl-3-cyclopentenyl)-2-oxoethyl carboxylate compound of the following general formula (6), wherein R represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, the process comprising esterifying a 2-(1,2,2-trimethyl-3-cyclopentenyl)-2-oxoethyl compound of the following general formula (5), wherein X represents a hydroxyl group or a halogen atom, to form the 2-(1,2,2-trimethyl-3-cyclopentenyl)-2-oxoethyl carboxylate compound (6).

##STR00001##

A process for preparing a 2-(1,2,2-trimethyl-3-cyclopentenyl)-2-oxoethyl carboxylate compound of the following general formula (6), wherein R represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, the process comprising esterifying a 2-(1,2,2-trimethyl-3-cyclopentenyl)-2-oxoethyl compound of the following general formula (5), wherein X represents a hydroxyl group or a halogen atom, to form the 2-(1,2,2-trimethyl-3-cyclopentenyl)-2-oxoethyl carboxylate compound (6).

##STR00001##