Processes and multiple-stage catalyst systems are disclosed for producing propene by at least partially isomerizing butene in an isomerization reaction zone having an isomerization catalyst to form an isomerization reaction product, at least partially metathesizing the isomerization reaction product in a metathesis reaction zone having a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesis reaction product, and at least partially cracking the metathesis reaction product in a cracking reaction zone having a cracking catalyst. The isomerization catalyst may be MgO, and the metathesis catalyst may be a mesoporous silica catalyst support impregnated with a metal oxide. The metathesis reaction zone may be downstream of the isomerization reaction zone, and the cracking reaction zone may be downstream of the metathesis reaction zone.

An organic-base functionalized silicalite-1 molecular sieve-encapsulated metal nanoparticles catalyst and a preparation method therefor, as well as a method for preparing 1,2-pentanediol from biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol by hydrogenolysis using said catalyst. When the catalyst is used in a reaction preparing 1,2-pentanediol from furfuryl alcohol by hydrogenolysis, the catalyst has high hydrogenolysis activity under relatively mild reaction conditions, significantly increasing the conversion rate of furfuryl alcohol and 1,2-pentanediol selectivity in the reaction, while also not generating obvious byproducts furfuryl alcohol polymers; the catalyst has good stability and long life, and may be recovered for reuse after the reaction is complete by means of a simple filtration, greatly reducing reaction costs and separation difficulty.

The present invention relates to a catalyst for producing olefins from dehydrogenation of alkane having 2 to 5 carbon atoms and a method for producing olefins using said catalyst, wherein said catalyst comprises a hierarchical zeolite nanosheet having a silica to alumina(SiO.sub.2/AI.sub.2O.sub.3) ratio more than 120 and group X metal(s) in a range of 0.3 to 5% by weight. The catalyst according to the conversion of precursor to yields and high olefins selectivity.

A simplified processes for producing desired chemicals such as butenes from feedstock mixtures containing ethanol. In one set of embodiments this is performed in a single step, wherein a feed containing ethanol in a gas phase is passed over an acidic metal oxide catalyst having a transition metal dispersion of at least 5% on a metal oxide support. The ethanol content of the feedstock mixture may vary from 10 to 100 percent of the feed and in those non-eat applications the ethanol feed may contain water.

A simplified processes for producing desired chemicals such as butenes from feedstock mixtures containing ethanol. In one set of embodiments this is performed in a single step, wherein a feed containing ethanol in a gas phase is passed over an acidic metal oxide catalyst having a transition metal dispersion of at least 5% on a metal oxide support. The ethanol content of the feedstock mixture may vary from 10 to 100 percent of the feed and in those non-eat applications the ethanol feed may contain water.

An organic-base functionalized silicalite-1 molecular sieve-encapsulated metal nanoparticles catalyst and a preparation method therefor, as well as a method for preparing 1,2-pentanediol from biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol by hydrogenolysis using said catalyst. When the catalyst is used in a reaction preparing 1,2-pentanediol from furfuryl alcohol by hydrogenolysis, the catalyst has high hydrogenolysis activity under relatively mild reaction conditions, significantly increasing the conversion rate of furfuryl alcohol and 1,2-pentanediol selectivity in the reaction, while also not generating obvious byproducts furfuryl alcohol polymers; the catalyst has good stability and long life, and may be recovered for reuse after the reaction is complete by means of a simple filtration, greatly reducing reaction costs and separation difficulty.

Embodiments of processes and multiple-stage catalyst systems for producing propylene comprising introducing a hydrocarbon stream comprising 2-butene to an isomerization catalyst zone to isomerize the 2-butene to 1-butene, passing the 2-butene and 1-butene to a metathesis catalyst zone to cross-metathesize the 2-butene and 1-butene into a metathesis product stream comprising propylene and C.sub.4-C.sub.6 olefins, and cracking the metathesis product stream in a catalyst cracking zone to produce propylene. The isomerization catalyst zone comprises a silica-alumina catalyst with a ratio by weight of alumina to silica from 1:99 to 20:80. The metathesis catalyst comprises a mesoporous silica catalyst support impregnated with metal oxide. The catalyst cracking zone comprises a mordenite framework inverted (MFI) structured silica catalyst.

Embodiments of processes for producing propylene utilize a dual catalyst system comprising a mesoporous silica catalyst impregnated with metal oxide and a mordenite framework inverted (MFI) structured silica catalyst downstream of the mesoporous silica catalyst, where the mesoporous silica catalyst includes a pore size distribution of at least 2.5 nm to 40 nm and a total pore volume of at least 0.600 cm.sup.3/g, and the MFI structured silica catalyst has a total acidity of 0.001 mmol/g to 0.1 mmol/g. The propylene is produced from the butene stream via metathesis by contacting the mesoporous silica catalyst and subsequent cracking by contacting the MFI structured silica catalyst.

Embodiments of processes and multiple-stage catalyst systems for producing propylene comprising introducing a hydrocarbon stream comprising 2-butene to an isomerization catalyst zone to isomerize the 2-butene to 1-butene, passing the 2-butene and 1-butene to a metathesis catalyst zone to cross-metathesize the 2-butene and 1-butene into a metathesis product stream comprising propylene and C.sub.4-C.sub.6 olefins, and cracking the metathesis product stream in a catalyst cracking zone to produce propylene. The isomerization catalyst zone comprises a silica-alumina catalyst with a ratio by weight of alumina to silica from 1:99 to 20:80. The metathesis catalyst comprises a mesoporous silica catalyst support impregnated with metal oxide. The catalyst cracking zone comprises a mordenite framework inverted (MFI) structured silica catalyst.

Embodiments of processes for producing propylene utilize a dual catalyst system comprising a mesoporous silica catalyst impregnated with metal oxide and a mordenite framework inverted (MFI) structured silica catalyst downstream of the mesoporous silica catalyst, where the mesoporous silica catalyst includes a pore size distribution of at least 2.5 nm to 40 nm and a total pore volume of at least 0.600 cm.sup.3/g, and the MFI structured silica catalyst has a total acidity of 0.001 mmol/g to 0.1 mmol/g. The propylene is produced from the butene stream via metathesis by contacting the mesoporous silica catalyst and subsequent cracking by contacting the MFI structured silica catalyst.