organic frameworks that include catalytic components incorporated throughout the framework. These covalent organic frameworks have unique structural and physical properties, which lend these frameworks to be versatile and useful in a number of different applications and uses and chemical reactions. In one, the covalent organic frameworks include a plurality of fused aromatic groups or polyaromatic groups and ligands, where catalytic components such as transition metal catalysts are coordinated by the ligand to the frameworks.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing a cyclopenta[c]chromene compound. A cationic rare earth compound [Ln(CH).sub.3CN).sub.9].sup.3+[(AlCl.sub.4).sub.3].sup.3−.CH.sub.3CN is used as a catalyst, and p-methyl thiophenol is used as an accelerator for a catalytic reaction of a chalcone compound so as to prepare a product; and Ln, contained in the catalyst, represents a positive trivalent rare earth metal ion and is selected from one of La, Nd, Sm, Gd and Yb. According to the method, the starting materials are easy to obtain, the reaction process is simple, the catalyst usage is low, the catalyst is universally applicable to various substituted 2-hydroxy chalcones, and the obtained cyclopenta[c]chromene compound has not been reported. The catalyst synthesis method is simple and easy to obtain, and the yield of the target product is high.

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.

A co-deflagration process for the preparation of metallic, ceramic, or mixed ceramic-metallic particles optionally impregnated within or attached to a metallic, ceramic, or mixed ceramic-metallic support material includes mixing at least two components. Each of the components can be any of a nitrogen-rich ligand or a salt thereof, a complex or coordination polymer of the nitrogen-rich ligand or salt thereof with one of the at least one metal, and a cluster of the at least one metal, and optionally an organic or inorganic oxidant, gas generator, pyrotechnic, propellant, and/or explosive.

The present invention provides a method for preparing a cyclic carbonate, which has the advantages of high yield, mild reaction conditions, high catalytic efficiency under room temperature and 1 atm pressure conditions, and wide substrate scopes. It is not only suitable for monosubstituted epoxides, but also suitable for disubstituted epoxides. The method comprises the step of reacting epoxides of Formula (I) with carbon dioxide in the presence of a quaternary ammonium salt and a catalyst, to obtain a cyclic carbonate of Formula (II). The reaction formula is:

##STR00001##

The present disclosure is directed to method embodiments for making anhydrous lanthanide halide complexes. At least some embodiments comprise making a lanthanide halide complex by reacting a lanthanide metal oxide with an oxygen scavenger and catalyst in the presence of a donor solvent. The method is selective toward light lanthanide metal oxides and thus further provides a method for separating light lanthanide metal oxides from heavy lanthanide metal oxides, actinide oxides, and non-lanthanide rare earth element oxides.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a borate ester on the basis of a tricyclopentadienyl rare earth metal complex, the method comprising the following steps: uniformly stirring and mixing a catalyst, a borane and a carbonyl compound for reaction to prepare a borate ester, wherein the catalyst is a tricyclopentadienyl rare earth metal complex; and the molecular formula of the tricyclopentadienyl rare earth metal complex can be expressed as: Ln(Cp).sub.3, wherein Ln represents a rare metal selected from one of lanthanide elements. The preparation method has a higher catalytic activity, mild reaction conditions, a product that is easy to post-treat, a short reaction time, a low catalyst consumption amount, and a good range of applicable substrates, and can be used for industrial production.

The present invention provides a method for preparing a cyclic carbonate, which has the advantages of high yield, mild reaction conditions, high catalytic efficiency under room temperature and 1 atm pressure conditions, and wide substrate scopes. It is not only suitable for monosubstituted epoxides, but also suitable for disubstituted epoxides. The method comprises the step of reacting epoxides of Formula (I) with carbon dioxide in the presence of a quaternary ammonium salt and a catalyst, to obtain a cyclic carbonate of Formula (II). The reaction formula is: ##STR00001##

A nanofibrous catalyst for in the electrolyzer and methods of making the catalyst. The catalysts are composed of highly porous transition metal carbonitrides, metal oxides or perovskites derived from the metal-organic frameworks and integrated into a 3D porous nano-network electrode architecture. The catalysts are low-cost, highly active toward OER, with excellent conductivity yet resistant to the oxidation under high potential operable under both acidic and alkaline environments.

A nanofibrous catalyst for in the electrolyzer and methods of making the catalyst. The catalysts are composed of highly porous transition metal carbonitrides, metal oxides or perovskites derived from the metal-organic frameworks and integrated into a 3D porous nano-network electrode architecture. The catalysts are low-cost, highly active toward OER, with excellent conductivity yet resistant to the oxidation under high potential operable under both acidic and alkaline environments.