A process for the dehydrogenation of alkyl-containing compounds comprises reacting an alkyl-containing compound and a Group VI nitrosyl complex characterized as a transition metal complex having the composition Cp′M(NO)(R1)(R2), wherein Cp′ is selected from certain substituted and unsubstituted η.sup.5-cyclopentadienyl groups; M is W or Mo; and R1 and R2 are independently selected from CH.sub.2C(CH.sub.3).sub.3; CH.sub.2Si(CH.sub.3).sub.3; CH.sub.2(C.sub.6H.sub.5); CH.sub.3; hydrogen; and η.sup.3-allyl; provided that if R1 is hydrogen, R2 is η.sup.3-allyl; under conditions such that the alkyl-containing compound is converted to an olefin, and in particular embodiments, a terminal olefin. The dehydrogenation can be carried out using a neat and/or undried alkyl-containing compound and/or may be conducted under air, and does not require a sacrificial olefin to drive the reaction, thereby increasing convenience and decreasing cost in comparison with some other dehydrogenation processes.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

Methods of preparing oligomers of an olefin are provided. The methods can include providing a composition that includes an alkylaluminum compound, a chromium compound, and a hydrocarbon solvent. The hydrocarbon solvent can include n-undecane, a C8-C11 alkane compound having one branch, or a mixture thereof. The methods can further include contacting an olefin with the composition to form oligomers of the olefin. The olefin can include ethylene, and the oligomers of the olefin can include 1-hexene.

A process for making a poly alpha-olefin (PAO) having a relatively high vinylidene content (or combined vinylidene and tri-substituted vinylene content) and a relatively low vinyl and/or di-substituted vinylene content, as well as a relatively low molecular weight. The process includes: contacting a feed containing a C.sub.2-C.sub.32 alpha-olefin with a catalyst system comprising activator and a bis-cyclopentadienyl metallocene compound, typically a cyclopentadienyl-benzindenyl group 4 transition metal compound.

A three step method for the conversion of ethanol into fuels that can be utilized as full-performance military jet or diesel fuels. Embodiments of the invention further describe methods for the selective conversion of ethanol to full performance saturated hydrocarbon fuels that are suitable for both jet and diesel propulsion.

An organic reductant, in particular an organo silicon reductant suitable for activating supported catalysts of the type MO.sub.nE.sub.m, wherein E is S and/or Se, in particular MO.sub.n, wherein M is W, Mo or Re, is described as well as its use in metathesis reactions. The reduced catalysts are able to metathesize olefins at low temperatures and are therefore also suitable for metathesis of functionalized olefins.

Linear alpha olefins (LAOS) may be formed by oligomerization of ethylene in the presence of a Ziegler-type catalyst. The presence of trace water during oligomerization can result in unwanted formation of insoluble higher oligomers or polymer. Methods for limiting the presence of water during ethylene oligomerization reactions may include separating residual ethylene and 1-butene from an LAO product stream to form a higher LAO-enriched stream comprising C.sub.6+ LAOs, separating 1-hexene as an overhead stream from the higher-LAO enriched stream using a first distillation column, obtaining separated solvent as a side stream from the first distillation column or as a side stream from a first of one or more downstream distillation columns, and returning the separated solvent to a reactor in a recycled solvent stream. The recycled solvent stream passes through one or more driers before returning to the reactor.

A catalyst system comprising i) a 2-[(phosphinyl)aminyl] cyclic imine transition metal compound complex and ii) an organoaluminum compound. A process comprising contacting i) ethylene, ii) a catalyst system comprising (a) a 2-[(phosphinyl)aminyl] cyclic imine transition metal compound complex, and (b) an organoaluminum compound, and iii) optionally hydrogen to form an oligomer product.

Provided is a method of producing an oligomer, the method including: supplying a monomer stream and a solvent stream to a reactor to perform an oligomerization reaction to produce a reaction product; supplying a discharge stream of the reactor to a separation device, and supplying an upper discharge stream of the separation device including an unreacted monomer to the reactor and supplying a lower discharge stream of the separation device to a settling tank; settling a polymer in the settling tank and removing the polymer, and supplying the lower discharge stream of the separation device from which the polymer is removed to a high-boiling point separation column; removing a high-boiling point material from a lower discharge stream of the high-boiling point separation column and supplying an upper discharge stream of the high-boiling point separation column including an oligomer to a solvent separation column; and separating a solvent and the oligomer in the solvent separation column.

The disclosure provides use of an efficient, recyclable, green and friendly catalyst to realize a method of hydrogenation of an unsaturated alkene, and a method for preparing biodiesel through the transesterification of soybean oil with ethanol. The method of hydrogenation of the unsaturated alkene comprises performing a hydrogenation reaction of an unsaturated alkene at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure by using a CO.sub.2 and magnetic dual-responsive mesoporous poly(ionic liquid) as a catalyst I, and using n-hexane and water as a solvent, to obtain a corresponding saturated alkane. The method for preparing biodiesel through transesterification of soybean oil with ethanol comprises performing a transesterification reaction of soybean oil with ethanol at a temperature of 25-90° C. and atmospheric pressure by using a CO.sub.2 and magnetic dual-responsive mesoporous poly(ionic liquid) as a catalyst II, to obtain the biodiesel.