An object of the present invention is to provide a method for selectively producing a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, the method including reducing a dicarboxylic acid monoester by means of a heterogeneous reaction. According to a method for producing a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester in an embodiment of the present invention, a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester represented by Formula (2) is produced by reducing a substrate dicarboxylic acid monoester represented by Formula (1) in the presence of a catalyst.

The catalyst comprises: metal species including M.sub.1 and M.sub.2; and a support supporting the metal species, and wherein M.sub.1 is rhodium, platinum, ruthenium, iridium or palladium; M.sub.2 is tin, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten or rhenium; and the support is hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite, or hydrotalcite.

##STR00001##

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for selectively producing a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester, the method including reducing a dicarboxylic acid monoester by means of a heterogeneous reaction. According to a method for producing a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester in an embodiment of the present invention, a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester represented by Formula (2) is produced by reducing a substrate dicarboxylic acid monoester represented by Formula (1) in the presence of a catalyst.

The catalyst comprises: metal species including M.sub.1 and M.sub.2; and a support supporting the metal species, and wherein M.sub.1 is rhodium, platinum, ruthenium, iridium or palladium; M.sub.2 is tin, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten or rhenium; and the support is hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite, or hydrotalcite.

##STR00001##

A quaternary ammonium compound of formula (I): (I) wherein R.sup.0, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is each independently an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group, X is a linking group, R.sup.4 is an optionally substituted alkylene group, R5 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl or aryl group, and n is 0 or a positive integer, provided that n is not 0 when R5 is hydrogen. ##STR00001##

A quaternary ammonium compound of formula (I): (I) wherein R.sup.0, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is each independently an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group, X is a linking group, R.sup.4 is an optionally substituted alkylene group, R5 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl or aryl group, and n is 0 or a positive integer, provided that n is not 0 when R5 is hydrogen. ##STR00001##

A gasoline fuel composition comprising as an additive an ester compound which is the reaction product of an optionally substituted polycarboxylic acid or an anhydride thereof and an alcohol or formula H—(OR).sub.n—OR.sup.1, wherein R is an optionally substituted alkylene group; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group, and n is 0 or a positive integer; wherein n is not O when R.sup.1 is hydrogen.

Methods of preparing unsaturated compounds or analogs through dehydrogenation of corresponding saturated compounds and/or hydrogenation of aromatic compounds are disclosed.

Methods of preparing unsaturated compounds or analogs through dehydrogenation of corresponding saturated compounds and/or hydrogenation of aromatic compounds are disclosed.

Methods of preparing unsaturated compounds or analogs through dehydrogenation of corresponding saturated compounds and/or hydrogenation of aromatic compounds are disclosed.

Method of making a second olefm using a first olefin, comprising steps (A) and (B): (A) performing a metathesis reaction with the first olefm in the presence of a metal complex configured to catalyse said metathesis reaction; (B) epoxidizing an olefin contained in the reaction mixture obtained in step (A) to form an epoxide; and deoxygenizing said epoxide to form said second olefin.

Method of making a second olefm using a first olefin, comprising steps (A) and (B): (A) performing a metathesis reaction with the first olefm in the presence of a metal complex configured to catalyse said metathesis reaction; (B) epoxidizing an olefin contained in the reaction mixture obtained in step (A) to form an epoxide; and deoxygenizing said epoxide to form said second olefin.