Catalysts for producing a branched aliphatic alkene are described. The catalyst can include a catalytic alkali metal or alkali metal composite on a mixed metal oxide support that includes a Column 1 metal and at least one of a Column 3 metal, a Column 4 metal or a lanthanide. The catalyst can have less than 50 wt. % of a metal carbonate. Methods of producing branched aliphatic alkenes by contacting the catalyst of the present invention with an aliphatic alpha olefin are also described.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method and system for converting ethanol to para-xylene. The method also provides a pathway to produce terephthalic acid from biomass-based feedstocks. In some embodiments, the disclosed method produces p-xylene with high selectivity over other aromatics typically produced in the conversion of ethanol to xylenes, such as m-xylene, ethyl benzene, benzene, toluene, and the like. And, in some embodiments, the method facilitates the ability to use ortho/para mixtures of methylbenzyaldehyde for preparing ortho/para xylene product mixtures that are amendable to fractionation to separate the para- and ortho-xylene products thereby providing a pure feedstock of para-xylene that can be used to form terephthalic anhydride and a pure feedstock of ortho-xylene that can be used for other purposes, such as phthalic anhydride.

A process is provided for converting mevalonic acid into various useful products and derivatives. More particularly, the process comprises reacting mevalonic acid, or a solution comprising mevalonic acid, in the presence of a solid catalyst at an elevated temperature and pressure to thereby form various biobased products. The process may also comprise: (a) providing a microbial organism that expresses a biosynthetic mevalonic acid pathway; (b) growing the microbial organism in fermentation medium comprising suitable carbon substrates, whereby biobased mevalonic acid is produced; and (c) reacting the biobased mevalonic acid in the presence of a solid catalyst at an elevated temperature and pressure to yield various biobased products.

Methods of simultaneously converting butanes and methanol to olefins over Ti-containing zeolite catalysts are described. The exothermicity of the alcohols to olefins reaction is matched by endothermicity of dehydrogenation reaction of butane(s) to light olefins resulting in a thermo-neutral process. The Ti-containing zeolites provide excellent selectivity to light olefins as well as exceptionally high hydrothermal stability. The coupled reaction may advantageously be conducted in a staged reactor with methanol/DME conversion zones alternating with zones for butane(s) dehydrogenation. The resulting light olefins can then be reacted with iso-butane to produce high-octane alkylate. The net result is a highly efficient and low cost method for converting methanol and butanes to alkylate.

Disclosed are methods of dehydrogenating a light alkane gas (and/or light alkene gas), which include adding hydrogen (H.sub.2) to the light alkane gas (and/or light alkene gas) in the presence of a catalyst composition containing zirconium oxide. Also disclosed are catalyst compositions containing zirconium oxide and methods of preparation thereof, where the catalyst compositions are useful in methods of dehydrogenating light alkane gas.

The present invention relates to a process for the production of butadiene by condensation of ethanol using a catalyst containing sillica-supported elements from group 3A and group 4B of the periodic table. The catalyst of the present invention has high activity and selectivity to butadiene in the synthesis reaction of said olefin from ethanol.

A process for preparing C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 olefins includes introducing a feed stream of hydrogen gas and a carbon-containing gas into a reaction zone of a reactor and converting the feed stream into a product stream including C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 olefins in the reaction zone in the presence of a hybrid catalyst and in a non-oxidative atmosphere. The hybrid catalyst includes a metal oxide catalyst component comprising gallium oxide and zirconia, and a microporous catalyst component having an 8 membered ring structure. The process also includes periodically introducing an oxidative atmosphere into the reaction zone.

Provided is a technique of producing isoprene from 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol or 1,3-butadiene from 1,3-butanediol by using a single catalyst. A catalyst produces a conjugated diene containing zirconium oxide and calcium oxide in order to produce isoprene by removing two water molecules from one 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol molecule or produce 1,3-butadiene by removing two water molecules from one 1,3-butanediol molecule. Furthermore, a method for producing a conjugated diene includes a step of obtaining a fluid containing a conjugated diene that is isoprene or 1,3-butadiene by bringing a fluid containing 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol or a fluid containing 1,3-butanediol into contact with the catalyst for producing a conjugated diene as a single catalyst so as to cause a dehydration reaction to proceed.

Processes for converting one or more C.sub.1-C.sub.5 linear or branched alcohols to one or more C.sub.2-C.sub.5 olefins are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the process can be a single stage process for the direct conversion of C.sub.1-C.sub.5 alcohols to olefinic mixtures (e.g., C.sub.2-C.sub.5) carried out in a reactor using a catalyst that includes zeolite doped with boron and phosphor. Systems for carrying out these processes are also provided.

A catalyst includes at least one element X selected from the group consisting of Groups 3 to 6 of the Periodic Table, and at least one element Z selected from the group consisting of Group 14 elements. The catalyst is flaky and has pores in a thickness direction. A catalyst that is capable of suppressing an overreaction to a polymer and producing a diene compound, particularly butadiene, at a high yield can be provided.