Subject of the invention is a process for producing a biofuel from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by transesterification of vegetable oils, comprising the steps of: (a) ethenolysis of the fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of ethylene and an ethenolysis catalyst, and (b) isomerizing metathesis in the presence of an isomerization catalyst and a metathesis catalyst. The invention also relates to biofuels obtainable by the inventive process and to uses of ethylene for adjusting and optimizing biofuels.

Subject of the invention is a process for producing a biofuel from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by transesterification of vegetable oils, comprising the steps of: (a) ethenolysis of the fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of ethylene and an ethenolysis catalyst, and (b) isomerizing metathesis in the presence of an isomerization catalyst and a metathesis catalyst. The invention also relates to biofuels obtainable by the inventive process and to uses of ethylene for adjusting and optimizing biofuels.

The disclosure provides Group 6 complexes, which, in some embodiments, are useful for catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions. In some embodiments, the compounds are compounds of the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein: M is a Group 6 metal atom; X is an oxygen atom, ═N—R.sup.5, ═N—N(R.sup.5)(R.sup.5′) or ═N—O—R.sup.5, R.sup.5 and R.sup.5′ independently being various substituents, such as aryl or heteroaryl, each optionally substituted; n is 0 or 1; R.sup.z is a neutral ligand; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic substituent; R.sup.2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted; R.sup.3 is an anionic ligand; and R.sup.4 is an anionic ligand, such as a pyrrolide, a pyrazolide, an imidazolide, an indolide, an azaindolide, or an indazolide, each optionally substituted.

The disclosure provides Group 6 complexes, which, in some embodiments, are useful for catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions. In some embodiments, the compounds are compounds of the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein: M is a Group 6 metal atom; X is an oxygen atom, ═N—R.sup.5, ═N—N(R.sup.5)(R.sup.5′) or ═N—O—R.sup.5, R.sup.5 and R.sup.5′ independently being various substituents, such as aryl or heteroaryl, each optionally substituted; n is 0 or 1; R.sup.z is a neutral ligand; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic substituent; R.sup.2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted; R.sup.3 is an anionic ligand; and R.sup.4 is an anionic ligand, such as a pyrrolide, a pyrazolide, an imidazolide, an indolide, an azaindolide, or an indazolide, each optionally substituted.

The disclosure provides Group 6 complexes, which, in some embodiments, are useful for catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions. In some embodiments, the compounds are compounds of the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein: M is a Group 6 metal atom; X is an oxygen atom, ═N—R.sup.5, ═N—N(R.sup.5)(R.sup.5′) or ═N—O—R.sup.5, R.sup.5 and R.sup.5′ independently being various substituents, such as aryl or heteroaryl, each optionally substituted; n is 0 or 1; R.sup.z is a neutral ligand; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic substituent; R.sup.2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted; R.sup.3 is an anionic ligand; and R.sup.4 is an anionic ligand, such as a pyrrolide, a pyrazolide, an imidazolide, an indolide, an azaindolide, or an indazolide, each optionally substituted.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a 3-isopropenyl-6-heptenal compound of the following formula (2): wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, the process comprising: subjecting a 3-isopropenyl-6-heptenoate ester compound of the following formula (1): wherein R.sup.1 is as defined above, and R.sup.2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, to a reduction reaction with a reducing agent to form the 3-isopropenyl-6-heptenal compound (2). ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a 3-isopropenyl-6-heptenal compound of the following formula (2): wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, the process comprising: subjecting a 3-isopropenyl-6-heptenoate ester compound of the following formula (1): wherein R.sup.1 is as defined above, and R.sup.2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, to a reduction reaction with a reducing agent to form the 3-isopropenyl-6-heptenal compound (2). ##STR00001##

The disclosure provides Group 6 complexes, which, in some embodiments, are useful for catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions. In some embodiments, the compounds are compounds of the following formula: ##STR00001##
wherein: M is a Group 6 metal atom; X is an oxygen atom, ═N—R.sup.5, ═N—N(R.sup.5)(R.sup.5′) or ═N—O—R.sup.5, R.sup.5 and R.sup.5′ independently being various substituents, such as aryl or heteroaryl, each optionally substituted; n is 0 or 1; R.sup.z is a neutral ligand; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic substituent; R.sup.2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted; R.sup.3 is an anionic ligand; and R.sup.4 is an anionic ligand, such as a pyrrolide, a pyrazolide, an imidazolide, an indolide, an azaindolide, or an indazolide, each optionally substituted.

The disclosure provides Group 6 complexes, which, in some embodiments, are useful for catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions. In some embodiments, the compounds are compounds of the following formula: ##STR00001##
wherein: M is a Group 6 metal atom; X is an oxygen atom, ═N—R.sup.5, ═N—N(R.sup.5)(R.sup.5′) or ═N—O—R.sup.5, R.sup.5 and R.sup.5′ independently being various substituents, such as aryl or heteroaryl, each optionally substituted; n is 0 or 1; R.sup.z is a neutral ligand; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic substituent; R.sup.2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted; R.sup.3 is an anionic ligand; and R.sup.4 is an anionic ligand, such as a pyrrolide, a pyrazolide, an imidazolide, an indolide, an azaindolide, or an indazolide, each optionally substituted.

The disclosure provides Group 6 complexes, which, in some embodiments, are useful for catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions. In some embodiments, the compounds are compounds of the following formula: ##STR00001##
wherein: M is a Group 6 metal atom; X is an oxygen atom, ═N—R.sup.5, ═N—N(R.sup.5)(R.sup.5′) or ═N—O—R.sup.5, R.sup.5 and R.sup.5′ independently being various substituents, such as aryl or heteroaryl, each optionally substituted; n is 0 or 1; R.sup.z is a neutral ligand; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic substituent; R.sup.2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted; R.sup.3 is an anionic ligand; and R.sup.4 is an anionic ligand, such as a pyrrolide, a pyrazolide, an imidazolide, an indolide, an azaindolide, or an indazolide, each optionally substituted.