The present invention describes a catalyst composition for use as a catalyst system for an ethylene oligomerization, providing high activity and produce linear oligomer product having broad weight percent distribution i.e. C.sub.4 to C.sub.16. The catalyst composition comprises a zirconium amide compound, an organoaluminum compound and an additive. The present invention also provides a process for preparation of the zirconium amide compound comprising reacting a zirconium component having formula ZrX.sub.m.nTHF, wherein X is halogen atom; m is an integer having value equal or less than 4 and n is a number equal or less than 2, and a substituted amide of formula RCONR′R″, wherein R, R′ and R″ are saturated or unsaturated aliphatic C.sub.1-C.sub.10 hydrocarbon or aromatic C.sub.6-C.sub.14 hydrocarbon, in the presence of an organic solvent.

Disclosed are novel catalyst compositions, catalyst precursors, processes for making catalyst precursors, processes for making catalyst compositions, and processes for converting syngas. The catalytic component in the catalyst composition can comprise a metal carbide and/or a metal nitride. This disclosure is particularly useful for converting syngas via the Fischer-Tropsch reactions to make olefins and/or alcohols.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for metathesizing a first alkenyl or alkynyl group with a second alkenyl or alkynyl group, the composition comprising a ruthenium metathesis catalyst and a photo-redox catalyst that is activated by infrared light.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for metathesizing a first alkenyl or alkynyl group with a second alkenyl or alkynyl group, the composition comprising a ruthenium metathesis catalyst and a photoredox catalyst that is activated by visible light.

The present disclosure generally relates to processes to produce alpha-olefin oligomers and poly alpha-olefins. In an embodiment, a process to produce a poly alpha-olefin (PAO) includes introducing a first alpha-olefin and a first catalyst system comprising a metallocene compound into a continuous stirred tank reactor or a continuous tubular reactor under first reactor conditions to form a first reactor effluent. The alpha-olefin is introduced to the reactor at a flow rate of about 100 g/hr or more. The first reactor effluent includes PAO dimer comprising at least 96 mol % of vinylidene and 4 mol % or less of trisubstituted vinylene and disubstituted vinylene, based on total moles of vinylidene, trisubstituted vinylene, and disubstituted vinylene. The method includes introducing the first reactor effluent, a second alpha-olefin and a second catalyst composition comprising an acid catalyst into a second reactor under second reactor conditions to form a second reactor effluent comprising PAO trimer.

The present disclosure relates to iron-containing compounds including a 2,6-diimino(heteroaryl) ligand useful for producing substituted-cyclo-alkanes, such as vinyl cyclobutanes. The present disclosure provides new and improved iron-containing catalysts with enhanced solubility in hydrophobic (nonpolar) solvents.

The invention is directed to ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts of the Grubbs-Hoveyda type. The new 2-aryloxy-substituted ruthenium catalysts described herein reveal rapid initiation behavior. Further, the corresponding styrene-based precursor compounds are disclosed. The catalysts are prepared in a cross-metathesis reaction starting from styrene-based precursors which can be prepared in a cost-effective manner.

The new Grubbs-Hoveyda type catalysts are suitable to catalyze ring-closing metathesis (RCM), cross metathesis (CM) and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). Low catalyst loadings are necessary to convert a wide range of substrates including more complex and critical substrates via metathesis reactions at low to moderate temperatures in high yields within short reaction times.

Catalytic methods for synthesis of super linear alkenyl arenes and alkyl arenes are provided. The methods are capable of synthesizing super linear alkyl and alkenyl arenes from simple arene and olefin starting materials and with high selectivity for linear coupling. Methods are also provided for making a 2,6-dimethylnapthalene (DMN) or 2,6-methylethylnapthalene (MEN).

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 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.