This invention is directed to asymmetric synthesis of funapide, which is useful for the treatment and/or prevention of sodium channel-mediated diseases or conditions, such as pain.

In one embodiment, a continuous process for preparing organic carbonate solvent of Formula (I) as described herein comprises contacting a first reactant (an alcohol) with a reactive carbonyl source (carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) or an alkylchloroformate) in the presence of a catalyst in reaction stream flowing through a continuous flow reactor at temperature 20° C. to about 160° C. and at a flow rate providing a residence time in the range of about 0.1 minute to about 24 hours; collecting a reactor effluent exiting from the continuous flow reactor; recovering a crude product from the reactor effluent; and distilling the crude product to obtain the organic carbonate compound of Formula (I). In another embodiment, the first reactant is an epoxide and the carbonyl source is carbon dioxide.

Disclosed herein is a method for selectively reducing, using electrical energy, CO.sub.2 to carbon monoxide or formic acid, a catalyst for use in the method, and an electrochemical reduction system. The method for producing carbon monoxide or formic acid by electrochemically reducing carbon dioxide of the present invention includes (a) reacting carbon dioxide with a metal complex represented by formula (1), and (b) applying a voltage to a reaction product of the carbon dioxide and the metal complex represented by formula (1):

##STR00001##

A method of manufacturing a catalyst article, the method comprising: providing a complex of a humic acid or derivative thereof, and a PGM; providing a support material; applying the complex to the support material to form a loaded support material; disposing the loaded support material on a substrate; and heating the loaded support material to form nanoparticles of the PGM on the support material.

A method for producing an olefin oligomer is disclosed, in which an olefin oligomerization reaction is performed in the presence of an olefin oligomerization catalyst comprising (A) a chromium compound, (B) an amine compound of the general formula (1): ##STR00001##
(R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 represent a group such as a hydrocarbon group, Y represents a structure represented by —CR.sup.5R.sup.6—, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 represent a group such as a hydrogen atom, and Z represents an integer of 1 to 10),
and (C) a compound such as an organometal compound; and the olefin oligomerization catalyst.

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.

The present invention relates to catalyst composition for cyclic carbonate production from CO.sub.2 and epoxides 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 hydrogen atom, acetate group, or triflate group; and b) the organic compound as the co-catalyst selected from compound containing nitrogen, compound of quaternary ammonium salts, or compound of iminium salts.

Disclosed is catalyst composition, a process for preparing the catalyst composition, and a use of the catalyst composition. The catalyst composition comprises 1 wt % to 4 wt % of free azacarbene, 1 wt % to 2 wt % of azacarbene iron, 15 wt % to 30 wt % of a phase transfer catalyst, 1 wt % to 5 wt % of a hydrogen donor, 5 wt % to 10 wt % of phosphoric acid, 0.5 wt % to 1 wt % of emulsifier, with the rest being solvent. This disclosure also provides a process for preparing the catalyst composition, comprising: mixing the free azacarbene and the azacarbene iron with the solvent according to a ratio, then adding and mixing the phase transfer catalyst and the hydrogen donor, then adding and mixing the phosphoric acid and the emulsifier to obtain the catalyst composition. The beneficial effect of this disclosure is: only less azacarbene iron and free azacarbene are needed to achieve rapid and efficient viscosity reduction of heavy oil.

Embodiments of the present invention relates to integrated catalyst systems and associated processes that directly converts carbon dioxide or carbohydrate to CO, methane, or other valuable chemicals at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, requiring no extra energy. The integrated catalyst systems are comprised of nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds and at least two metal elements, wherein one metal element needs to be active than the other one. The integrated catalyst systems can be applied to reduce carbon dioxide and carbohydrate at room temperature with considerable conversion efficiency. The reduction process involves the steps of: a) nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds performance as solvent/major catalyst, dual component as reducing agent / co-catalyst; b) introducing the above integrated catalysts into the reactor full of CO.sub.2 or carbohydrate, and keeping stirring the reacting system for 1 to 4 hours, without any illumination or heating; c) CO, methane, or other reduction product is achieved with a conversion efficiency of about 100%; d) the reduction products are gases, which can be directly separated from the system without any additional separation process or involving additional chemicals.

The invention generally relates to methods of making substituted arenes via direct C—H amination. More specifically, methods of making para- and ortho-substituted arenes via direct C—H amination are disclosed. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.