The present invention provides a process for preparing a water splitting catalyst containing [Mn.sub.4CaO.sub.4] core structure and use thereof. The present invention provides clusters containing [Mn.sub.4CaO.sub.4] core structure by a chemical synthesis using inexpensive metal ions (Mn.sup.2+, Ca.sup.2+ ions), simple carboxyl ligands and a permanganate, performed single crystal X-ray diffraction on their space structure, and characterized their physical and chemical properties with electron spectrum, electrochemical and electron paramagnetic resonance technologies and the like. These compounds can catalyze water splitting in the presence of oxidant to release oxygen and can also catalyze water splitting on the surface of an electrode to release electrons onto the surface of the electrode to form a current.

A method for reducing nitrates, nitrites, and/or hydroxylamine in water using a homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex. The method includes dissolving a copper(II) tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand pre-catalyst complex in water having an excess amount of nitrates, nitrites, and/or hydroxylamine therein. The dissolved copper(II) tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand pre-catalyst complex in the water is subjected to electrochemical reduction to form a homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex. The homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex reduces the nitrates, nitrites, and/or hydroxylamine in the water to compounds with nitrogen in a lower oxidation state with the homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex.

A catalyst system includes a porous polymeric base, a nanoscale metal catalyst layer disposed on the porous polymeric base, and a nanoscale electrolyte layer disposed on the metal catalyst layer. The catalyst system is used in methods to perform three-phase catalytic reactions.

The present invention relates to catalyst composition for cyclic carbonate production from CO.sub.2 and olefins using halohydrin agent as the co-reactant under mild conditions, which can effectively catalyze the cyclic carbonate synthesis and provides good selectivity to cyclic carbonate, wherein said catalyst composition comprising: a) the metal complex as shown in structure (I):

##STR00001## wherein, M represents transition metal atom; R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 represent independent group selected from hydrogen atom, halogen atom, alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, alkoxy group, amine group, phenyl group, benzyl group, cyclic hydrocarbon group comprising hetero atom, perfluoroalkyl group, or nitro group; R.sub.4 represents group selected from alkylene group, cycloalkylene group, or phenylene group; X represents group selected from halogen atom, acetate group, or triflate group; b) the halohydrin agent in at least one solvent; and c) at least one base.

A homogeneous catalyst is provided comprising one or more metals; and at least two metal coordinating ligands wherein the homogeneous catalyst is a multi-ligand metal complex adapted for use with an oxidant in an oxidation reaction to catalytically pretreat lignocellulosic biomass. In one embodiment, the homogenous catalyst is copper (II) 2, 2′ bipyridine ethylenediamine (Cu(bpy)en). Related methods are also disclosed.

A highly efficient synthesis of cis-diol compounds through cis-dihydroxylation of olefins using osmate (VI) salt as catalysts is disclosed, which has found important application in efficient large-scale preparation of, among others, α,α-cedranediol from α-cedrene.

The present invention relates to a method of degrading biofilm by contacting it with an aqueous mixture comprising a peroxide compound and a manganese complex, wherein the aqueous mixture comprises a macrocylic ligand. The invention also relates to a method of degrading a biofilm by contacting it with an aqueous mixture comprising a peroxide compound and a macrocyclic ligand.

A method of producing a catalytic carbon fiber may include: oxidizing a virgin carbon fiber to produce an oxidized carbon fiber; reacting the oxidized carbon fiber with a polyamine compound to produce an amine modified carbon fiber; and reacting the amine modified carbon fiber with an organometallic macrocycle to produce the catalytic carbon fiber.

The present disclosure relates to aerogels based on transition metal complexes, preparation thereof and there use as highly active atomically dispersed oxygen-reduction catalyst with ultra-high catalytic site density and metal content.

A superacid polymeric catalyst having both Lewis acidity and Brønsted acidity is described, along with methods of making and methods of using the same.