The invention is concerned with the production of 1-hexene and octenes from ethene. 1-Butene is optionally also to be produced. The problem addressed by the present invention is that of developing a process for producing 1-hexene from ethene by MTHxE etherification to achieve better chemical utilization of the employed carbon atoms. This problem is solved by catalytic retrocleavage of MTHxE into the C.sub.6 olefins and the alcohol, reuse of the alcohol in the etherification and reaction of the obtained C.sub.6 olefins with ethene to afford C.sub.8 olefins. In this way the alcohol is not lost from the process but rather is internally recirculated as a derivatizing agent. The less attractive C.sub.6 olefins from the cleavage product are upgraded to octene with further ethene in order to provide a further commercial product.

The invention is concerned with the production of 1-hexene and octenes from ethene. 1-Butene is optionally also to be produced. The problem addressed by the present invention is that of developing a process for producing 1-hexene from ethene by MTHxE etherification to achieve better chemical utilization of the employed carbon atoms. This problem is solved by catalytic retrocleavage of MTHxE into the C.sub.6 olefins and the alcohol, reuse of the alcohol in the etherification and reaction of the obtained C.sub.6 olefins with ethene to afford C.sub.8 olefins. In this way the alcohol is not lost from the process but rather is internally recirculated as a derivatizing agent. The less attractive C.sub.6 olefins from the cleavage product are upgraded to octene with further ethene in order to provide a further commercial product.

Catalysts for producing a branched aliphatic alkene are described. The catalyst can include a catalytic alkali metal or alkali metal composite on a mixed metal oxide support that includes a Column 1 metal and at least one of a Column 3 metal, a Column 4 metal or a lanthanide. The catalyst can have less than 50 wt. % of a metal carbonate. Methods of producing branched aliphatic alkenes by contacting the catalyst of the present invention with an aliphatic alpha olefin are also described.

Catalysts for producing a branched aliphatic alkene are described. The catalyst can include a catalytic alkali metal or alkali metal composite on a mixed metal oxide support that includes a Column 1 metal and at least one of a Column 3 metal, a Column 4 metal or a lanthanide. The catalyst can have less than 50 wt. % of a metal carbonate. Methods of producing branched aliphatic alkenes by contacting the catalyst of the present invention with an aliphatic alpha olefin are also described.

Provided is a method of producing a porous molded body, the method including: the step of obtaining a molded body by molding a raw material that contains from 1 part by mass to 100 parts by mass of a bicarbonate compound (A) represented by AHCO.sub.3 (wherein, A represents Na or K) and from 0 parts by mass to 99 parts by mass of a compound (B) represented by B.sub.nX (wherein, B represents Na or K; X represents CO.sub.3, SO.sub.4, SiO.sub.3, F, Cl, or Br; and n represents an integer of 1 or 2 as determined by the valence of X) (provided that a total amount of (A) and (B) is 100 parts by mass); and the step of obtaining a porous molded body by performing a heat treatment of the molded body in a temperature range of from 100° C. to 500° C. and an atmosphere that contains water vapor in an amount of from 1.0 g/m.sup.3 to 750,000 g/m.sup.3 and thereby thermally decomposing not less than 90% by mass of the bicarbonate compound (A).

The present invention relates to compositions comprising alkene benzenes or alkene benzene sulfonates or alkylbenzenes or alkylbenzene sulfonates; methods for making alkene benzenes or alkene benzene sulfonates or alkylbenzenes or alkylbenzene sulfonates; where the benzene ring is optionally substituted with one or more groups designated R*, where R* is defined herein. More particularly, the present invention relates to compositions comprising 2-phenyl linear alkene benzenes or 2-phenyl linear alkene benzene sulfonates or 2-phenyl linear alkylbenzenes or 2-phenyl linear alkylbenzene sulfonates; methods for making 2-phenyl alkene benzenes or 2-phenyl alkene benzene sulfonates or 2-phenyl alkylbenzenes or 2-phenyl alkylbenzene sulfonates; where the benzene ring is optionally substituted with one or more groups designated R*, where R* is defined herein. This invention also relates to compositions, methods of making, use of, and articles of manufacture comprising 2-ethoxylated hydroxymethylphenyl linear alkyl benzenes. This invention also relates to compositions, methods of making, use of, and articles of manufacture comprising 2-propoxylated hydroxymethylphenyl linear alkyl benzenes.

The present invention relates to compositions comprising alkene benzenes or alkene benzene sulfonates or alkylbenzenes or alkylbenzene sulfonates; methods for making alkene benzenes or alkene benzene sulfonates or alkylbenzenes or alkylbenzene sulfonates; where the benzene ring is optionally substituted with one or more groups designated R*, where R* is defined herein. More particularly, the present invention relates to compositions comprising 2-phenyl linear alkene benzenes or 2-phenyl linear alkene benzene sulfonates or 2-phenyl linear alkylbenzenes or 2-phenyl linear alkylbenzene sulfonates; methods for making 2-phenyl alkene benzenes or 2-phenyl alkene benzene sulfonates or 2-phenyl alkylbenzenes or 2-phenyl alkylbenzene sulfonates; where the benzene ring is optionally substituted with one or more groups designated R*, where R* is defined herein. This invention also relates to compositions, methods of making, use of, and articles of manufacture comprising 2-ethoxylated hydroxymethylphenyl linear alkyl benzenes. This invention also relates to compositions, methods of making, use of, and articles of manufacture comprising 2-propoxylated hydroxymethylphenyl linear alkyl benzenes.

Provided is a method of producing a porous molded body, the method including: the step of obtaining a molded body by molding a raw material that contains from 1 part by mass to 100 parts by mass of a bicarbonate compound (A) represented by AHCO.sub.3 (wherein, A represents Na or K) and from 0 parts by mass to 99 parts by mass of a compound (B) represented by B.sub.nX (wherein, B represents Na or K; X represents CO.sub.3, SO.sub.4, SiO.sub.3, F, Cl, or Br; and n represents an integer of 1 or 2 as determined by the valence of X) (provided that a total amount of (A) and (B) is 100 parts by mass); and the step of obtaining a porous molded body by performing a heat treatment of the molded body in a temperature range of from 100° C. to 500° C. and an atmosphere that contains water vapor in an amount of from 1.0 g/m.sup.3 to 750,000 g/m.sup.3 and thereby thermally decomposing not less than 90% by mass of the bicarbonate compound (A).

A porous formed body (Y) including a porous formed body (X) that satisfies the following (x-1) to (x-3), and an alkali metal carbonate or an alkali metal bicarbonate, in which a content of the alkali metal carbonate or the alkali metal bicarbonate is in a range of from 1 part by mass to 230 parts by mass, with respect to 100 parts by mass of the porous formed body (X), and a production method thereof, an α-olefin dimerization catalyst and a production method thereof, and a method of producing an α-olefin dimer: requirement (x-1): a volume of pores with a pore diameter in a range of from 0.01 μm to 100 μm is from 0.10 mL/g to 1.00 mL/g; requirement (x-2): a median pore diameter of pores with a pore diameter in a range of from 0.01 μm to 100 μm is from more than 0.01 μm to 10.0 μm; and requirement (x-3): a crushing strength is from 0.7 kgf to 15.0 kgf.

A porous formed body (Y) including a porous formed body (X) that satisfies the following (x-1) to (x-3), and an alkali metal carbonate or an alkali metal bicarbonate, in which a content of the alkali metal carbonate or the alkali metal bicarbonate is in a range of from 1 part by mass to 230 parts by mass, with respect to 100 parts by mass of the porous formed body (X), and a production method thereof, an α-olefin dimerization catalyst and a production method thereof, and a method of producing an α-olefin dimer: requirement (x-1): a volume of pores with a pore diameter in a range of from 0.01 μm to 100 μm is from 0.10 mL/g to 1.00 mL/g; requirement (x-2): a median pore diameter of pores with a pore diameter in a range of from 0.01 μm to 100 μm is from more than 0.01 μm to 10.0 μm; and requirement (x-3): a crushing strength is from 0.7 kgf to 15.0 kgf.