The present invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds found in Harderian gland secretions, a method of treating dry eye in a human comprising ophthalmically administering an effective amount of a compound, e.g. a lipid compound, found in Harderian gland secretions, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said lipid compounds, as identified by characteristic chemical data and mass spectra of said lipid compounds, said lipid compound in essentially pure form, and an ophthalmic vehicle comprising a therapeutic agent and a compound present in the secretions of the Harderian gland, e.g. a lipid compound, found in the secretions of the Harderian gland, e.g. a rabbit Harderian gland.

Disclosed are methods or processes of synthesizing building blocks and feedstocks for producing a broader range of polymers, including renewable polymers, from renewable resources such as CO.sub.2. In a process of manufacturing a renewable feedstock for polymer production, a CO.sub.2 derived lactone is prepared and processed to form the renewable feedstock. The process may include alkoxycarbonylation of the CO.sub.2 derived lactone to form a diester and hydrogenation of the diester.

Disclosed are methods or processes of synthesizing building blocks and feedstocks for producing a broader range of polymers, including renewable polymers, from renewable resources such as CO.sub.2. In a process of manufacturing a renewable feedstock for polymer production, a CO.sub.2 derived lactone is prepared and processed to form the renewable feedstock. The process may include alkoxycarbonylation of the CO.sub.2 derived lactone to form a diester and hydrogenation of the diester.

Subject of the invention is a process for producing a biofuel from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by transesterification of vegetable oils, comprising the steps of: (a) ethenolysis of the fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of ethylene and an ethenolysis catalyst, and (b) isomerizing metathesis in the presence of an isomerization catalyst and a metathesis catalyst. The invention also relates to biofuels obtainable by the inventive process and to uses of ethylene for adjusting and optimizing biofuels.

Subject of the invention is a process for producing a biofuel from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by transesterification of vegetable oils, comprising the steps of: (a) ethenolysis of the fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of ethylene and an ethenolysis catalyst, and (b) isomerizing metathesis in the presence of an isomerization catalyst and a metathesis catalyst. The invention also relates to biofuels obtainable by the inventive process and to uses of ethylene for adjusting and optimizing biofuels.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a compound of the following general formula (2): wherein R.sup.1 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, the process comprising: subjecting a compound of the following general formula (1): wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent, independently of each other, a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and the wavy bond represents an E-configuration, a Z-configuration, or a mixture thereof, to a Dieckmann condensation in the presence of base to form the compound (2).

##STR00001##

The present invention provides a process for preparing a compound of the following general formula (2): wherein R.sup.1 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, the process comprising: subjecting a compound of the following general formula (1): wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent, independently of each other, a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and the wavy bond represents an E-configuration, a Z-configuration, or a mixture thereof, to a Dieckmann condensation in the presence of base to form the compound (2).

##STR00001##

The disclosure provides Group 6 complexes, which, in some embodiments, are useful for catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions. In some embodiments, the compounds are compounds of the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein: M is a Group 6 metal atom; X is an oxygen atom, ═N—R.sup.5, ═N—N(R.sup.5)(R.sup.5′) or ═N—O—R.sup.5, R.sup.5 and R.sup.5′ independently being various substituents, such as aryl or heteroaryl, each optionally substituted; n is 0 or 1; R.sup.z is a neutral ligand; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic substituent; R.sup.2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted; R.sup.3 is an anionic ligand; and R.sup.4 is an anionic ligand, such as a pyrrolide, a pyrazolide, an imidazolide, an indolide, an azaindolide, or an indazolide, each optionally substituted.

The disclosure provides Group 6 complexes, which, in some embodiments, are useful for catalyzing olefin metathesis reactions. In some embodiments, the compounds are compounds of the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein: M is a Group 6 metal atom; X is an oxygen atom, ═N—R.sup.5, ═N—N(R.sup.5)(R.sup.5′) or ═N—O—R.sup.5, R.sup.5 and R.sup.5′ independently being various substituents, such as aryl or heteroaryl, each optionally substituted; n is 0 or 1; R.sup.z is a neutral ligand; R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an organic substituent; R.sup.2 is an aryl or heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted; R.sup.3 is an anionic ligand; and R.sup.4 is an anionic ligand, such as a pyrrolide, a pyrazolide, an imidazolide, an indolide, an azaindolide, or an indazolide, each optionally substituted.

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.