Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks. The methods comprise reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrogenating the olefins under conditions sufficient to form a fuel composition. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product.

The present disclosure provides methods to produce para-xylene, toluene, and other compounds from renewable sources (e.g., cellulose, hemicellulose) and ethylene in the presence of an acid, such as a Lewis acid. For example, cellulose and/or hemicellulose may be converted into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) and 2-methylfuran, which may be converted into para-xylene and toluene, respectively. In particular, para-xylene can then be oxidized to form terephthalic acid.

The present disclosure provides methods to produce para-xylene, toluene, and other compounds from renewable sources (e.g., cellulose, hemicellulose) and ethylene in the presence of an acid, such as a Lewis acid. For example, cellulose and/or hemicellulose may be converted into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) and 2-methylfuran, which may be converted into para-xylene and toluene, respectively. In particular, para-xylene can then be oxidized to form terephthalic acid.

Disclosed is a Lewis acid catalyst for preparation of toluene from 2-methylfuran and a method for preparing toluene from 2-methylfuran by using the same. The catalyst is a zeolite catalyst ion-exchanged with a metal or a metal halide catalyst. The catalyst accelerates the cycloaddition of 2-methylfuran with ethylene and inhibits oligomerization as a side reaction, and thus allows production of toluene from 2-methylfuran with high yield and high selectivity.

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks. The methods comprise reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrogenating the olefins under conditions sufficient to form a fuel composition. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product.

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks. The methods comprise reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrogenating the olefins under conditions sufficient to form a fuel composition. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product.

A method for producing propylene, the method contains: producing a silica composite by preparing a raw material mixture containing silica and zeolite; drying the raw material mixture to obtain a dried product; and calcining the dried product; wherein the method contains the step of bringing a solution of phosphate into contact with the zeolite and/or the dried product to thereby adjust a phosphorus content in the silica composite to 0.01 to 1.0% by mass based on the total mass of the silica composite, a source of the phosphorus is phosphate, and the zeolite is of MFI type and has a SiO.sub.2/Al.sub.2O.sub.3 ratio (by mol) of 20 or more; and bringing the silica composite into contact with a hydrocarbon source containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of ethylene, ethanol, methanol, and dimethyl ether in the presence of steam.

Metal catalyst compounds are disclosed. The catalyst compound are represented by the formula (I-II and VII): wherein M is a Group 8 metal; X is an anionic ligand; L is a neutral two electron donor ligand; K 2 (A-E) is a ditopic or multitopic ligand. Also disclosed is an easy applicable catalyst synthesis and the application in different olefin metathesis processes, e.g. Reaction Injection Molding (RIM), rotational molding, vacuum infusion, vacuum forming, process for conversion of fatty acids and fatty acid esters or mixtures thereof, in -olefins, dicarboxylic acids or dicarboxylic esters, etc.

A process for converting light paraffins to a high octane gasoline composition is disclosed. The process involves: (1) oxidation of iso-paraffins to alkyl hydroperoxides and alcohol; (2) conversion of the alkyl hydroperoxides and alcohol to dialkyl peroxides; and (3) radical coupling of iso-paraffins using the dialkyl peroxides as radical initiators, thereby forming gasoline-range molecules. Fractionation of the gasoline-range molecules can then be used to isolate high octane gasoline fractions having a road octane number [(RON+MON)/2] greater than 110.

A process for converting light paraffins to a high octane gasoline composition is disclosed. The process involves: (1) oxidation of iso-paraffins to alkyl hydroperoxides and alcohol; (2) conversion of the alkyl hydroperoxides and alcohol to dialkyl peroxides; and (3) radical coupling of iso-paraffins using the dialkyl peroxides as radical initiators, thereby forming gasoline-range molecules. Fractionation of the gasoline-range molecules can then be used to isolate high octane gasoline fractions having a road octane number [(RON+MON)/2] greater than 110.