A purified cyclohexanol of the present invention has a methylcyclopentanol concentration of 10 to 1000 ppm by weight and a cyclohexylcyclohexene isomer concentration of 15 to 500 ppm by weight. A method for producing cyclohexanol of the present invention comprises: Step 1 of producing a solution (I) containing cyclohexanol, methylcyclopentanol, and water by a hydration reaction of cyclohexene; Step 2 of separating the solution (I) into a water phase and an oil phase; Step 3 of obtaining a partially purified cyclohexanol containing methylcyclopentanol from the oil phase; and Step 4 of separating and removing methylcyclopentanol in the partially purified cyclohexanol so as to obtain a purified cyclohexanol having a methylcyclopentanol concentration of 10 to 1000 ppm by weight and a cyclohexylcyclohexene isomer concentration of 15 to 500 ppm by weight.

A purified cyclohexanol of the present invention has a methylcyclopentanol concentration of 10 to 1000 ppm by weight and a cyclohexylcyclohexene isomer concentration of 15 to 500 ppm by weight. A method for producing cyclohexanol of the present invention comprises: Step 1 of producing a solution (I) containing cyclohexanol, methylcyclopentanol, and water by a hydration reaction of cyclohexene; Step 2 of separating the solution (I) into a water phase and an oil phase; Step 3 of obtaining a partially purified cyclohexanol containing methylcyclopentanol from the oil phase; and Step 4 of separating and removing methylcyclopentanol in the partially purified cyclohexanol so as to obtain a purified cyclohexanol having a methylcyclopentanol concentration of 10 to 1000 ppm by weight and a cyclohexylcyclohexene isomer concentration of 15 to 500 ppm by weight.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing phthalic anhydride by gas phase oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons, in which a gas stream comprising at least one aromatic hydrocarbon and molecular oxygen is passed continuously over a thermostatted catalyst and the supply of the at least one aromatic hydrocarbon to the catalyst is temporarily interrupted after putting the catalyst on stream.

A process utilizing nitric acid and oxygen as co-oxidants to oxidize aldehydes, alcohols, polyols, preferably carbohydrates, specifically reducing sugars to produce the corresponding carboxylic acids.

The present invention relates to methods of controlling hydroformylation processes for producing normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio. In one aspect, a method of controlling a hydroformylation process comprises contacting an olefin with carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a catalyst, the catalyst comprising (A) a transition metal, (B) a monophosphine, and (C) a tetraphosphine having the structure described herein, the contacting conducted in one or more reaction zones and at hydroformylation conditions to produce a blend of normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio, the method comprising at least one of increasing the N:I ratio by adding additional tetraphosphine to a reaction zone; decreasing the N:I ratio by adding additional monophosphine to a reaction zone; or increasing the N:I ratio by volatilization of the free monophosphine.

The present invention relates to methods of controlling hydroformylation processes for producing normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio. In one aspect, a method of controlling a hydroformylation process comprises contacting an olefin with carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a catalyst, the catalyst comprising (A) a transition metal, (B) a monophosphine, and (C) a tetraphosphine having the structure described herein, the contacting conducted in one or more reaction zones and at hydroformylation conditions to produce a blend of normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio, the method comprising at least one of increasing the N:I ratio by adding additional tetraphosphine to a reaction zone; decreasing the N:I ratio by adding additional monophosphine to a reaction zone; or increasing the N:I ratio by volatilization of the free monophosphine.

This invention relates to a method for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethyl esters of carboxylic acids. Said method consists of treating the biomass material with an oxidizing agent that is incorporated in an solution comprising one or more acids, one or more alcohols and water, and subsequently performing a catalytic reaction at a higher temperature using the same acidic solution into which a larger volume of alcohol is added, in such a way that the catalytic conversion occurs in a medium with a much higher concentration of alcohol, i.e. with a much higher alcohol-to-water wt ratio. Such a method results in relatively high yields of ethyl esters, such as ethyl esters of formic, acetic, and levulinic acids, while producing a low yield of dialkyl ethers, which are unwanted by-products. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the pre-treatment step is preferably higher than 6.0 wt %. The oxidizing agent is preferably a Fenton or Fenton-type reagent, and most preferably hydrogen peroxide activated by Fe (II), and/or Ti (IV) ions. The alcohol is preferably ethanol, and when ethanol is used, diethyl ether is formed as the unwanted dialkyl ether by-product. Preferably, the biomass material is pelleted before treatment.

This invention relates to a method for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethyl esters of carboxylic acids. Said method consists of treating the biomass material with an oxidizing agent that is incorporated in an solution comprising one or more acids, one or more alcohols and water, and subsequently performing a catalytic reaction at a higher temperature using the same acidic solution into which a larger volume of alcohol is added, in such a way that the catalytic conversion occurs in a medium with a much higher concentration of alcohol, i.e. with a much higher alcohol-to-water wt ratio. Such a method results in relatively high yields of ethyl esters, such as ethyl esters of formic, acetic, and levulinic acids, while producing a low yield of dialkyl ethers, which are unwanted by-products. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the pre-treatment step is preferably higher than 6.0 wt %. The oxidizing agent is preferably a Fenton or Fenton-type reagent, and most preferably hydrogen peroxide activated by Fe (II), and/or Ti (IV) ions. The alcohol is preferably ethanol, and when ethanol is used, diethyl ether is formed as the unwanted dialkyl ether by-product. Preferably, the biomass material is pelleted before treatment.

Described herein is an improved conversion of nitrous oxide (N.sub.2O) present as a by-product in a chemical process to NO.sub.x which can be further converted to a useful compound or material, such as nitric acid.

Methods of depolymerizing lignin and products obtained therefrom. The methods include reacting lignin in a liquid solvent comprising an oxidation catalyst with the solvent being in contact with 02 gas. The solvent can include aprotic polar solvents. The oxidation catalyst can include heterogeneous catalysts. The methods can be used in the oxidative catalytic fractionation of raw biomass to generate soluble aromatic monomers and a solid carbohydrate residue. Depolymerized lignin products include phenolic and benzoquinone monomers, such as p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillin, syringaldehyde, vanillic acid, and/or syringic acid.