Catalysts for the dehydration of lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof in liquid phase comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid are provided.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a catalyst composition for the oligomerization of ethylene and a respective catalyst composition pre-formation unit.

A process utilizing a micro-emulsion is described. The micro-emulsion formed by contacting an ionic liquid, a co-solvent, a hydrocarbon, an optional surfactant, and an optional catalyst promoter to form the micro-emulsion. The micro-emulsion comprises a hydrocarbon component comprising the hydrocarbon and an ionic liquid component comprising the ionic liquid. The ionic liquid comprises a halometallate anion and a cation. The co-solvent has a polarity greater than a polarity of the hydrocarbon. The ionic liquid is present in an amount of 0.05 wt % to 40 wt % of the micro-emulsion. A product mixture comprising a product is produced in a process zone containing the micro-emulsion.

Methods for making acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof by contacting a feed stream containing lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with a molten salt catalyst comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid in liquid phase are provided.

Methods for making acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof by contacting a feed stream containing lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with a molten salt catalyst comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid in liquid phase are provided.

The present disclosure relates to methods for selectively hydrogenating acetylene, to methods for starting up a selective hydrogenation reactor, and to hydrogenation catalysts useful in such methods. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a variety of methods for starting up reactors for use in methods for selectively hydrogenating acetylene using a catalyst composition comprises a porous support, palladium, and one or more ionic liquids.

The present disclosure relates to methods for selectively hydrogenating acetylene, to methods for starting up a selective hydrogenation reactor, and to hydrogenation catalysts useful in such methods. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for selectively hydrogenating acetylene, the method comprising contacting a catalyst composition with a process gas. The catalyst composition comprises a porous support, palladium, and one or more ionic liquids. The process gas includes ethylene, present in the process gas in an amount of at least 20 mol. %; acetylene, present in the process gas in an amount of at least 1 ppm; and 0 to 190 ppm or at least 600 ppm carbon monoxide. At least 90% of the acetylene present in the process gas is hydrogenated, and the selective hydrogenation is conducted without thermal runaway.

The present disclosure relates to methods for selectively hydrogenating acetylene, to methods for starting up a selective hydrogenation reactor, and to hydrogenation catalysts useful in such methods. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for selectively hydrogenating acetylene, the method comprising contacting a catalyst composition with a process gas. The catalyst composition comprises a porous support, palladium, and one or more ionic liquids. The process gas includes ethylene, present in the process gas in an amount of at least 20 mol. %; and acetylene, present in the process gas in an amount of at least 1 ppm. At least 90% of the acetylene present in the process gas is hydrogenated, and the selective hydrogenation is conducted without thermal runaway. Notably, the process gas is contacted with the catalyst at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) based on total catalyst volume in one bed or multiple beds of at least 7,100 h.sup.1.

The present invention relates to the technical field of chemical engineering and catalysis. Provided are an application of an ionic liquid in propylene glycol ether synthesis and a method for synthesizing a propylene glycol ether. The ionic liquid is a methyl carbonate ionic liquid, and is used as a catalyst for catalyzing propylene glycol ether synthesis. The method for synthesizing the propylene glycol ether comprises the following steps: placing propylene oxide and an alcohol within a reactor to contact a catalyst, and heating the mixture in an enclosed environment to 50-200 C. to obtain the propylene glycol ether, wherein the catalyst is a methyl carbonate ionic liquid. The method for synthesizing propylene glycol ether provided in the present invention is a green synthesis technique, and does not require special production equipment. The method has simple and easily controllable processes, and can be used in industrial production and applications.

A micro-emulsion and a method of making the micro-emulsion are described. The micro-emulsion includes a hydrocarbon component, an ionic liquid component, and a co-solvent. The ionic liquid comprises a halometallate anion and a cation. The micro-emulsion can optionally include a surfactant, and a catalyst promoter. The co-solvent has a polarity greater than the polarity of the hydrocarbon. The ionic liquid is present in an amount of about 0.05 wt % to about 40 wt % of the micro-emulsion.