The present invention provides an effective and selective process for the depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), polylactic acid, polycarbonates, polyethers and polyamides into pure and high yielding valorized products by combining the glycolysis-hydrolysis reactions using a homogeneous acidic ionic liquid (AIL) catalyst, resulting in excellent polymer conversion.

The present invention concerns a catalyst system in particular a catalyst system comprising Palladium (Pd), a zwitterion and/or an acid-functionalized ionic liquid, and one or more phosphine ligands, wherein the Pd catalyst can be provided by a complex precursor, such as Pd(CH.sub.3COO).sub.2, PdCl.sub.2, Pd(CH.sub.3COCHCOCH.sub.3), Pd(CF.sub.3COO).sub.2, Pd(PPh.sub.3).sub.4 or Pd.sub.2(dibenzylideneacetone).sub.3. Such catalyst systems can be used for e.g. alkoxycarbonylation reactions, carboxylation reactions, and/or in a co-polymerization reaction, e.g. in the production of methyl propionate and/or propanoic acid, optionally in processes forming methyl methacrylate and/or methacrylic acid. Catalyst systems according to the invention are suitable for reactions forming separable product and catalyst phases and supported ionic liquid phase SILP applications.

The present invention relates to a process for producing dihydrogen from formic acid. It also relates to the use of the dihydrogen produced by the process of the invention, in a fuel cell, in a combustion engine, in the production of ammonia and methanol, in oil refining, and in the metallurgy, electronics and food sectors. The invention also relates to an energy production process comprising a step of producing dihydrogen from formic acid by the process according to the invention.

The present disclosure provides an ionic liquid compound of Formula (I) and its application in reactions such as alkylation, arylation, acylation, diels alder and oligomerization, ##STR00001## The present disclosure also provides a process for preparing the ionic liquid compound of Formula (I) which involves preparing an ionic salt complex represented by Formula [(NR.sub.1R.sub.2R.sub.3).sub.iM.sub.1].sup.n+[X.sub.j].sup.n by mixing an amine represented by Formula NR.sub.1R.sub.2R.sub.3 and a metal salt represented by formula M.sub.1X.sub.j; and mixing the ionic salt complex and a metal salt represented by formula M.sub.2Y.sub.k to obtain the ionic liquid compound.

Catalysts that include at least one catalytically active element and one helper catalyst can be used to increase the rate or lower the overpotential of chemical reactions. The helper catalyst can simultaneously act as a director molecule, suppressing undesired reactions and thus increasing selectivity toward the desired reaction. These catalysts can be useful for a variety of chemical reactions including, in particular, the electrochemical conversion of CO.sub.2 or formic acid. The catalysts can also suppress H.sub.2 evolution, permitting electrochemical cell operation at potentials below RHE. Chemical processes and devices using the catalysts are also disclosed, including processes to produce CO, OH.sup., HCO.sup., H.sub.2CO, (HCO.sub.2).sup., H.sub.2CO.sub.2, CH.sub.3OH, CH.sub.4, C.sub.2H.sub.4, CH.sub.3CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.3COO.sup., CH.sub.3COOH, C.sub.2H.sub.6, O.sub.2, H.sub.2, (COOH).sub.2, or (COO.sup.).sub.2, and a specific device, namely, a CO.sub.2 sensor.