The present application provides a mononuclear transition metal complex, a photocatalyst for carbon dioxide reduction including same, and a method for reducing carbon dioxide to formic acid, the method comprising using the photocatalyst for carbon dioxide reduction.

The present invention relates to Ziegler-Natta catalyst components for olefin polymerization employing specific carbonate compounds as an element of solid catalyst composition in conjunction with at least one or more internal donor compounds, for producing polyolefins, particularly polypropylene and ethylene-propylene block co-polymer, which exhibits substantially high rubber content with higher stereo-regularity and hydrogen response.

Catalyst systems suitable for tetramerizing ethylene to form 1-octene may include a catalyst comprising a chromium compound coordinated with a ligand and a co-catalyst comprising an organoaluminum compound. The ligand may include have a chemical structure according to formula (I), wherein at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9, R.sub.10, R.sub.11, and R.sub.12 have the structure according to formula (II) wherein R.sub.A, R.sub.B, R.sub.C, and R.sub.D and the remainder of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9, R.sub.10, R.sub.11, and R.sub.12 are independently chosen from a hydrogen or a (C.sub.1-C.sub.50) hydrocarbyl group.

Biodegradable polymers with advantageous physical and chemical properties are described, as well as methods for making such polymers. In one embodiment, a new chemical synthesis route to technologically important biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) with high isotacticity and molecular weight required for a practical use is described. The new route can utilize racemic eight-membered cyclic diolide (rac-DL), meso-DL, or a rac-DL and meso-DL mixture, derived from bio-sourced dimethyl succinate, and enantiomeric (R,R)-DL and (S,S)-DL, optically resolved by metal-based catalysts. With a stereoselective racemic molecular catalyst, the ROP of rac-DL under ambient conditions produces rapidly P3HB with essentially perfect isotacticity ([mm]>99%), high crystallinity and melting temperature (T.sub.m=171° C.), as well as high molecular weight and low dispersity (M.sub.n=1.54×10.sup.5 g/mol, Ð=1.01).

A method for the manufacture of an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst, the method comprising; providing a metal organic framework (MOF) material having a specific internal pore volume of 0.7 cm.sup.3g.sup.−1 or greater; providing a source of iron and/or cobalt; pyrolysing the MOF material together with the source of iron and/or cobalt to form the catalyst, wherein the MOF material comprises nitrogen and/or the MOF material is pyrolysed together with a source of nitrogen and the source of iron and/or cobalt is disclosed.

Biodegradable polymers with advantageous physical and chemical properties are described, as well as methods for making such polymers. In one embodiment, a new chemical synthesis route to technologically important biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) with high isotacticity and molecular weight required for a practical use is described. The new route can utilize racemic eight-membered cyclic diolide (rac-DL), meso-DL, or a rac-DL and meso-DL mixture, derived from bio-sourced dimethyl succinate, and enantiomeric (R,R)-DL and (S,S)-DL, optically resolved by metal-based catalysts. With a stereoselective racemic molecular catalyst, the ROP of rac-DL under ambient conditions produces rapidly P3HB with essentially perfect isotacticity ([mm]>99%), high crystallinity and melting temperature (T.sub.m=171° C.), as well as high molecular weight and low dispersity (M.sub.n=1.54×10.sup.5 g/mol, Ð=1.01).

An MOFs/MIPs catalyst, an in situ growth preparation method for same, and applications thereof are provided. The method comprises: uniformly mixing template molecules, a functional monomer, and a pore-foaming agent and performing a prepolymerization to produce a prepolymerization reaction product; uniformly mixing a cross-linking agent, an initiator, and the prepolymerization reaction product, heating, eluting the template molecules via a Soxhlet extraction, and drying to produce an imprinted polymer; uniformly mixing dimethylformamide, 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid, ferrous chloride, water, methanol, and the imprinted polymer, heating, washing, using methanol for immersion and washing, and drying to produce the MOFs/MIPs catalyst.

Disclosed is a method for preparing an organic carboxylic ester by using a combined catalyst of an aryl bidentate phosphine ligand. The method includes subjecting a terminal olefin, carbon monoxide, and an alcohol to a hydroesterification reaction in the presence of a combined catalyst of a palladium compound, an aryl bidentate phosphine ligand, and an acidic additive, to generate an organic carboxylic ester having one more carbon atom than the terminal olefin.

Provided herein are heterogeneous catalysts suitable for use in carbonylation reactions, including the production of acrylic acid from ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide on an industrial scale. The production may involve various unit operations, including, for example: a beta-propiolactone production system configured to produce beta-propiolactone from ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide; a polypropiolactone production system configured to produce polypropiolactone from beta-propiolactone; and an acrylic acid production system configured to produce acrylic acid with a high purity by thermolysis of polypropiolactone.

Biodegradable polymers with advantageous physical and chemical properties are described, as well as methods for making such polymers. In one embodiment, a new chemical synthesis route to technologically important biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) with high isotacticity and molecular weight required for a practical use is described. The new route can utilize racemic eight-membered cyclic diolide (rac-DL), meso-DL, or a rac-DL and meso-DL mixture, derived from bio-sourced dimethyl succinate, and enantiomeric (R,R)-DL and (S,S)-DL, optically resolved by metal-based catalysts. With a stereoselective racemic molecular catalyst, the ROP of rac-DL under ambient conditions produces rapidly P3HB with essentially perfect isotacticity ([mm]>99%), high crystallinity and melting temperature (T.sub.m=171 C.), as well as high molecular weight and low dispersity (M.sub.n=1.5410.sup.5 g/mol, =1.01).