A hydrocarbon conversion process is described. The process includes contacting in a reactor an inert gas with one or more catalyst compositions suitable for methylation of toluene and hydrogenation of phenol; contacting a reducing agent with the one or more catalyst compositions under conditions suitable for reducing metal oxide content of the catalyst composition; contacting at least part of toluene and/or benzene-containing with a oxygenate in the presence of the one or more catalyst compositions and under conditions effective to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a reactor effluent stream comprising para-xylene and having a lower concentration of phenol than the toluene-containing stream; separating at least one para-xylene-enriched stream from the reactor effluent stream; and separating from the at least one para-xylene enriched stream at least one toluene-enriched stream and at least one para-xylene-product stream. An apparatus for carrying out such a process is also described.

A hydrocarbon conversion process is described. The process includes contacting in a reactor an inert gas with one or more catalyst compositions suitable for methylation of toluene and hydrogenation of phenol; contacting a reducing agent with the one or more catalyst compositions under conditions suitable for reducing metal oxide content of the catalyst composition; contacting at least part of toluene and/or benzene-containing with a oxygenate in the presence of the one or more catalyst compositions and under conditions effective to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a reactor effluent stream comprising para-xylene and having a lower concentration of phenol than the toluene-containing stream; separating at least one para-xylene-enriched stream from the reactor effluent stream; and separating from the at least one para-xylene enriched stream at least one toluene-enriched stream and at least one para-xylene-product stream. An apparatus for carrying out such a process is also described.

The first aspect of the present invention is intended to provide a method for producing an oxidation reaction product of the hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof efficiently using hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof as a raw material. In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing an oxidation reaction product of a hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof. The method includes the step of irradiating a reaction system with light in the presence of a raw material and a chlorine dioxide radical. The raw material is hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof, the reaction system is a reaction system containing an organic phase, and the organic phase contains the raw material and the chlorine dioxide radical. In the step of irradiating a reaction system with light, the raw material is oxidized by the light irradiation to generate an oxidation reaction product of the raw material.

The first aspect of the present invention is intended to provide a method for producing an oxidation reaction product of the hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof efficiently using hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof as a raw material. In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing an oxidation reaction product of a hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof. The method includes the step of irradiating a reaction system with light in the presence of a raw material and a chlorine dioxide radical. The raw material is hydrocarbon or a derivative thereof, the reaction system is a reaction system containing an organic phase, and the organic phase contains the raw material and the chlorine dioxide radical. In the step of irradiating a reaction system with light, the raw material is oxidized by the light irradiation to generate an oxidation reaction product of the raw material.

The present invention relates to a thermo-responsive solution and in particular, a solution for use in an osmosis process that is suitable for separating or purifying solutes and or water from an aqueous solution on a large scale and under energy efficient conditions.

The present invention relates to a thermo-responsive solution and in particular, a solution for use in an osmosis process that is suitable for separating or purifying solutes and or water from an aqueous solution on a large scale and under energy efficient conditions.

A composition comprising a ternary intermetallic compound X.sub.2YZ, wherein X, Y, and Z are different from one another; X being selected from the group consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Pd; Y being selected from the group consisting of Cr, Co, and Ni; and Z being selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ga, Ge, In, Sn, Zn, and Sb; wherein the ternary intermetallic compound is supported on a porous oxidic support material. The composition may be prepared by providing a liquid mixture of sources of X, Y, and Z, and the porous oxidic support material, removing the liquid and heating the resulting mixture in a reducing atmosphere. The composition is useful as catalyst.

A composition comprising a ternary intermetallic compound X.sub.2YZ, wherein X, Y, and Z are different from one another; X being selected from the group consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Pd; Y being selected from the group consisting of Cr, Co, and Ni; and Z being selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ga, Ge, In, Sn, Zn, and Sb; wherein the ternary intermetallic compound is supported on a porous oxidic support material. The composition may be prepared by providing a liquid mixture of sources of X, Y, and Z, and the porous oxidic support material, removing the liquid and heating the resulting mixture in a reducing atmosphere. The composition is useful as catalyst.

Disclosed are methods of decreasing the concentration of a metal in a monomer composition including a bis(benzoyl)benzene, bis(benzoyl)benzene monomer compositions having a low total metal concentration, di-ketone polymers made from low metal bis(benzoyl)benzene monomers, and polymer compositions and shaped articles including the di-ketone polymers. It was surprisingly found that di-ketone polymers made by nucleophilic substitution of low metal bis(benzoyl)benzene monomers exhibit greater crystallinity, as compared with di-ketone polymers made with conventional monomers.

Disclosed are methods of decreasing the concentration of a metal in a monomer composition including a bis(benzoyl)benzene, bis(benzoyl)benzene monomer compositions having a low total metal concentration, di-ketone polymers made from low metal bis(benzoyl)benzene monomers, and polymer compositions and shaped articles including the di-ketone polymers. It was surprisingly found that di-ketone polymers made by nucleophilic substitution of low metal bis(benzoyl)benzene monomers exhibit greater crystallinity, as compared with di-ketone polymers made with conventional monomers.