Micro-nano materials, products obtained by covalently modifying the surfaces of micro/nano materials with hydrophilic materials, and methods for making the same. The micro/nano materials on the surfaces have carboxyl groups or/and pro-carboxyl groups which are converted into their active esters. The products are covalently modified by forming amide bonds between the active esters on the surfaces and the modification agents; where the modification agents are hydrophilic compounds and/or hydrophilic polymers bearing primary and/or secondary aliphatic amines. Monomers bearing carboxyl groups and/or pro-carboxyl groups are used to produce an adequate number of carboxyl groups and/or pro-carboxyl groups on the surface of a polymer material to be modified. The carboxyl groups and/or pro-carboxyl groups are converted into active esters. A reasonably-sized modification agent bearing primary and/or secondary amines, zwitterions and hydrophilic linear spacer arms is used to form amide bonds and obtain a covalently modified surface layer.

Micro-nano materials, products obtained by covalently modifying the surfaces of micro/nano materials with hydrophilic materials, and methods for making the same. The micro/nano materials on the surfaces have carboxyl groups or/and pro-carboxyl groups which are converted into their active esters. The products are covalently modified by forming amide bonds between the active esters on the surfaces and the modification agents; where the modification agents are hydrophilic compounds and/or hydrophilic polymers bearing primary and/or secondary aliphatic amines. Monomers bearing carboxyl groups and/or pro-carboxyl groups are used to produce an adequate number of carboxyl groups and/or pro-carboxyl groups on the surface of a polymer material to be modified. The carboxyl groups and/or pro-carboxyl groups are converted into active esters. A reasonably-sized modification agent bearing primary and/or secondary amines, zwitterions and hydrophilic linear spacer arms is used to form amide bonds and obtain a covalently modified surface layer.

The use of bio oil from at least one renewable source in a hydrotreatment process, in which process hydrocarbons are formed from said glyceride oil in a catalytic reaction, and the iron content of said bio oil is less than 1 w-ppm calculated as elemental iron. A bio oil intermediate including bio oil from at least one renewable source and the iron content of said bio oil is less than 1 w-ppm calculated as elemental iron.

The use of bio oil from at least one renewable source in a hydrotreatment process, in which process hydrocarbons are formed from said glyceride oil in a catalytic reaction, and the iron content of said bio oil is less than 1 w-ppm calculated as elemental iron. A bio oil intermediate including bio oil from at least one renewable source and the iron content of said bio oil is less than 1 w-ppm calculated as elemental iron.

Process comprising the process steps of:

a) initially charging a pentenoic ester,
b) adding a ligand of structure 1 or 2:

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and a compound comprising a metal atom selected from: Rh, Ru, Co, Ir,
c) supplying H.sub.2 and CO,
d) heating the reaction mixture to convert the pentenoic ester to 5-formylpentanoic esters.

Process comprising the process steps of:

a) initially charging a pentenoic ester,
b) adding a ligand of structure 1 or 2:

##STR00001##

and a compound comprising a metal atom selected from: Rh, Ru, Co, Ir,
c) supplying H.sub.2 and CO,
d) heating the reaction mixture to convert the pentenoic ester to 5-formylpentanoic esters.

[Problem to be Solved] To provide a method for preparing a catalyst that has high activity and exhibits high durability with reduced elution of a catalyst metal when a liquid-phase oxidation reaction is brought about without combined use of an alkali; and a method for producing an oxide highly efficiently by use of the catalyst. The method for preparing a catalyst has the following Steps 1, 2 and 3. Step 1: preparing an aqueous dispersion of a catalyst carrying Pt on activated carbon; Step 2: preparing an aqueous solution containing Bi in an ionic state; and Step 3: adding the aqueous dispersion obtained in Step 1 to the aqueous solution obtained in Step 2.

The present invention involves a new synthesis route for the formation of lactylates. The method comprises reacting a dilactide with a compound comprising a hydroxy group. This reaction is preferably carried out in the presence of a cation or other source of alkalinity. Preferred compounds comprising a hydroxy group include any fatty acid and fatty acid alcohol (particularly C.sub.1-C.sub.26 fatty acid chains). Preferred cations include cations of Group I and II metals, with sodium, calcium, and potassium cations being particularly preferred. The inventive reactions proceed much more rapidly than prior art lactylate synthesis reactions, and can be used to form 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-lactylates.

The invention relates to a method for producing a biomass-resource-derived polyurethane, which comprises: reacting a dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic diol to produce a polyester polyol; and reacting the polyester polyol and a polyisocyanate compound, wherein the dicarboxylic acid contains at least one component derived from biomass resources, a content of an organic acid in the dicarboxylic acid is more than 0 ppm and not more than 1,000 ppm relative to the dicarboxylic acid, and a pKa value of the organic acid at 25? C. is not more than 3.7.

The invention relates to a method for producing a biomass-resource-derived polyurethane, which comprises: reacting a dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic diol to produce a polyester polyol; and reacting the polyester polyol and a polyisocyanate compound, wherein the dicarboxylic acid contains at least one component derived from biomass resources, a content of an organic acid in the dicarboxylic acid is more than 0 ppm and not more than 1,000 ppm relative to the dicarboxylic acid, and a pKa value of the organic acid at 25? C. is not more than 3.7.