The invention relates to a process for preparing an aromatic carbonate, comprising reacting a dialkyl carbonate or an alkyl aryl carbonate with an aryl alcohol or an alkyl aryl carbonate, resulting in an aromatic carbonate which is an alkyl aryl carbonate or a diaryl carbonate, wherein a composition comprising a titanium or zirconium alkoxide or aryloxide, wherein the alkoxy group in the titanium or zirconium alkoxide is a group of formula R-0˜ wherein R is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and the aryloxy group in the titanium or zirconium aryloxide is a group of formula Ar-0˜ wherein Ar is an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and wherein the composition additionally comprises 0.1 to 50 wt. % of an alcohol, based on the total weight of the composition, is mixed with an alcohol or an organic carbonate, and the mixture thus obtained is contacted with said dialkyl carbonate or alkyl aryl carbonate and aryl alcohol or alkyl aryl carbonate to catalyze the preparation of the aromatic carbonate. Further, the invention relates to a process for making a polycarbonate from the diaryl carbonate thus prepared.

A process for preparing a catalyst material, includes: (a) providing a support material having surface hydroxyl (OH) groups, the support material is ceria (CeO.sub.2), zirconia (ZrO.sub.2) or a combination, and the support material contains between 0.3 and 2.0 mmol OH groups/g of the support material; (b) reacting the support material with at least one of: (b1) a compound containing at least one alkoxy or phenoxy group bound though its oxygen atom to a metal element from Group 5 (V, Nb, Ta) or Group 6 (Cr, Mo, W); (b2) a compound containing at least one hydrocarbon group bound though a carbon atom to a metal element from Group 5 or 6; (b3) a compound containing at least one hydrocarbon group bound though a carbon atom to a metal element which is copper (Cu); and (c) calcining the product obtained in step (b).

A process for preparing a catalyst material, includes: (a) providing a support material having surface hydroxyl (OH) groups, the support material is ceria (CeO.sub.2), zirconia (ZrO.sub.2) or a combination, and the support material contains between 0.3 and 2.0 mmol OH groups/g of the support material; (b) reacting the support material with at least one of: (b1) a compound containing at least one alkoxy or phenoxy group bound though its oxygen atom to a metal element from Group 5 (V, Nb, Ta) or Group 6 (Cr, Mo, W); (b2) a compound containing at least one hydrocarbon group bound though a carbon atom to a metal element from Group 5 or 6; (b3) a compound containing at least one hydrocarbon group bound though a carbon atom to a metal element which is copper (Cu); and (c) calcining the product obtained in step (b).

The invention relates to a process for preparing an aromatic carbonate, comprising reacting a dialkyl carbonate or an alkyl aryl carbonate with an aryl alcohol or an alkyl aryl carbonate, resulting in an aromatic carbonate which is an alkyl aryl carbonate or a diaryl carbonate.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of 2,6-di-tert-butyl phenol by reacting phenol with isobutylene in presence of an aluminum phenoxide catalyst, comprising i) preparing an aluminum phenoxide catalyst and phenol comprising mixture a) by mix-ing aluminum metal with phenol, and activating the catalyst by heating the mixture to a temperature of 100 to 180 C., and ii) carrying out a reaction b) by reacting mixture a) with an isobutylene comprising stream comprising 20 to 90% by weight of isobutylene and 10 to 80% by weight of 1-butene and/or 2-butene, which reaction is carried out under pressure and the maximum pressure is 5 to 20 bar.

A composition is described which comprises at least one chromium compound, at least one aryloxy compound of an element M selected from the group formed by magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium, with general formula [M(RO).sub.2-nX.sub.n].sub.y, in which RO is an aryloxy radical of a derivative ROH containing 6 to 80 carbon atoms, X is a halogen or a hydrocarbyl radical containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms, n is a whole number which may take the values 0 or 1 and y is a whole number in the range 1 to 10, and at least one additive selected from ether type compounds, which may or may not be cyclic, introduced in a near-stoichiometric quantity with respect to the element M.

A composition and process to make polyisocyanurate or polyurethane foam using a catalyst composition comprising at least one bismuth carboxylate catalyst and one or more co-catalysts selected from the group of alkali metal carboxylates and quaternary ammonium carboxylate salts, such that the resultant foam has improved insulation properties. The polyisocyanurate or polyurethane foams produced by this catalyst composition and method are useful for laminated boardstock, construction panels, appliance insulation, and spray-applied insulation.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of 2,6-di-tert-butyl phenol by reacting phenol with isobutylene in presence of an aluminum phenoxide catalyst, comprising i) preparing an aluminum phenoxide catalyst and phenol comprising mixture a) by mix-ing aluminum metal with phenol, and activating the catalyst by heating the mixture to a temperature of 100 to 180? C., and ii) carrying out a reaction b) by reacting mixture a) with an isobutylene comprising stream comprising 20 to 90% by weight of isobutylene and 10 to 80% by weight of 1-butene and/or 2-butene, which reaction is carried out under pressure and the maximum pressure is 5 to 20 bar.

In one embodiment, the present application discloses ligands of the formula A, wherein the variables are as described herein, and methods for using the ligands in cross-coupling reactions in organic and polar media:

##STR00001##

Method of preparing epoxidation catalysts are disclosed, including methods comprising reacting an inorganic siliceous solid with a metal complex of the formulas: ##STR00001##
wherein the variables are defined herein.