Disclosed are methods of preparing unsaturated carbocyclic compounds through dehydrogenation of corresponding saturated carbocyclic compounds.

Disclosed are methods of preparing unsaturated carbocyclic compounds through dehydrogenation of corresponding saturated carbocyclic compounds.

An endothermic catalytic dehydrogenation process conducted in gas phase in system including a reactor with a catalyst bed including an inorganic catalytic material and a first inert material including the steps of: feeding a first stream having an alkane of the formulae I C.sub.nH.sub.2n+1R.sup.1 with n?3 and R.sup.1?H or aryl to be dehydrogenated into the reactor, and simultaneously or subsequently feeding a second stream including a mixture of an inert gas and a reactive gas selected from the group of alkanes of the formulae II C.sub.mH.sub.2m+2 with m?2, or alkenes of the formulae III C.sub.mH.sub.2m with .sub.m?2. The alkane to be dehydrogenated of formulae I in first stream has at least one more carbon atom than the alkane of formulae II and alkene of formulae III in the second stream.

Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed in which the hydrocarbon reactant and either a supported chromium (VI) catalyst or a supported chromium (II) catalyst are contacted, optionally with UV-visible light irradiation, followed by exposure to an oxidizing atmosphere and then hydrolysis to form a reaction product containing the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound. The presence of oxygen significant increases the amount of alcohol/carbonyl product formed, as well as the formation of oxygenated dimers and trimers of certain hydrocarbon reactants.

Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed in which the hydrocarbon reactant and either a supported chromium (VI) catalyst or a supported chromium (II) catalyst are contacted, optionally with UV-visible light irradiation, followed by exposure to an oxidizing atmosphere and then hydrolysis to form a reaction product containing the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound. The presence of oxygen significant increases the amount of alcohol/carbonyl product formed, as well as the formation of oxygenated dimers and trimers of certain hydrocarbon reactants.