The present invention relates to a stabilized rhenium-based heterogeneous catalyst, obtainable by a process comprising contacting a rhenium-based heterogeneous catalyst with a stabilizing agent at a temperature in a range from 0-100° C., the stabilizing agent comprising an aliphatic hydrocarbon compound and use thereof.

The invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising (a) a metal M selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), rhenium (Re), ruthenium (Ru) and iridium (Ir), (b) tin (Sn), (c) zinc (Zn), (d) alkaline earth metal and (e) a porous metal oxide catalyst support, wherein the amount of each of elements (a), (b) and (d) is independently chosen in the range of from 0.1 to 5 wt. % based on the porous metal oxide catalyst support and wherein the amount of element (c) is chosen in the range of from 0.1 to 2 wt. % based on the porous metal oxide catalyst support. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a process for the preparation of said catalyst composition and its use in non-oxidative dehydrogenation of an alkane, preferably propane.

Provided are methods and materials for the functionalization of a heteroalkane or arene using an oxidizing electrophile as a stoichiometric agent or catalyst. The reaction involves the replacement of a hydrogen atom on an sp3-hybridized carbon atom of the heteroalkane or of a hydrogen atom on an sp2-hybridized carbon atom of the arene. A main group element organometallic intermediate is formed that undergoes further conversion to a functionalized heteroalkane or arene.

The invention relates to polyoxometalates represented by the formula (A.sub.n).sup.m+[M′M.sub.12X.sub.8O.sub.yR.sub.zH.sub.q].sup.m− or solvates thereof, corresponding supported polyoxometalates, and processes for their preparation, as well as corresponding metal clusters, optionally in the form of a dispersion in a liquid carrier medium or immobilized on a solid support, and processes for their preparation, as well as their use in reductive conversion of organic substrate.

In a process for dehydrogenating cyclohexylbenzene and/or alkyl-substituted cyclohexylbenzene compounds, a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising at least one Group 10 metal compound on a support is heated in the presence of hydrogen from a first temperature from 0° C. to 200° C. to a second, higher temperature from 60° C. to 500° C. at a ramp rate no more than 100° C./hour. The dehydrogenation catalyst is contacted with hydrogen at the second temperature for a time from 3 to 300 hours to produce an activated dehydrogenation catalyst. A feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene and/or an alkyl-substituted cyclohexylbenzene compound is then contacted with hydrogen in the presence of the activated dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising biphenyl and/or an alkyl-substituted biphenyl compound.

The invention describes a process for the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide carried out in the liquid phase and/or in the gas phase under irradiation employing a photocatalyst of microporous crystalline metal sulfide type, said process being carried out by bringing a charge containing the CO.sub.2 and at least one sacrificial compound into contact with said photocatalyst, then by irradiating the photocatalyst by at least one irradiation source producing at least one wavelength lower than the bandgap width of said photocatalyst, so as to reduce the CO.sub.2 and to oxidize the sacrificial compound, so as to produce an effluent containing, at least in part, C.sub.1 or more carbon-based molecules other than CO.sub.2.

Olefins may be produced from C.sub.4-C.sub.6 saturated hydrocarbons by systems and methods comprising passing a feed comprising C.sub.4-C.sub.6 saturated hydrocarbons and hydrogen into a dehydrogenation unit to produce a dehydrogenation effluent, passing at least a portion of the dehydrogenation effluent into a hydrogenation unit to produce a hydrogenation effluent, and passing at least a portion of the hydrogenation effluent into a cracking unit to produce a cracking effluent comprising olefins. The dehydrogenation unit includes a dehydrogenation catalyst, the hydrogenation unit includes a hydrogenation catalyst, and the cracking unit includes a cracking catalyst.

In a process for producing a methyl-substituted biphenyl compound, at least one methyl-substituted cyclohexylbenzene compound of the formula: ##STR00001##
wherein each of m and n is independently 1, 2, or 3, is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to produce a hydrogenation reaction product comprising at least one methyl-substituted bicyclohexane compound, and the methyl-substituted bicyclohexane compound is then contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising at least one methyl-substituted biphenyl compound.

According to one or more embodiments described herein, a method for dehydrogenating hydrocarbons may include passing a hydrocarbon feed comprising one or more alkanes or alkyl aromatics into a fluidized bed reactor, contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a dehydrogenation catalyst in the fluidized bed reactor to produce a dehydrogenated product and hydrogen, and contacting the hydrogen with an oxygen-rich oxygen carrier material in the fluidized bed reactor to combust the hydrogen and form an oxygen-diminished oxygen carrier material. In additional embodiments, a dual-purpose material may be utilized which has dehydrogenation catalyst and oxygen carrying functionality.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a coked catalyst and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.