The present invention relates to a process for preparing a compound having the formula (I), said process comprising the following steps: a) the addition of an oxygen source into a solution of a compound of formula (II), in a water-miscible solvent, b) the addition of a laccase in the solution obtained after step a); and c) the possible recovering of the compound of formula (I) thus obtained.

##STR00001##

A method for preparing a composite material, including the following steps: providing metal oxide nanoparticles and a polyaromatic compound having a structure represented by Formula I,

##STR00001##

where, Ar.sub.1, Ar.sub.2, Ar.sub.3, and Ar.sub.4 are selected from aromatic rings; X.sub.1, X.sub.2, and X.sub.3 are selected from active groups configured for binding with the metal oxide nanoparticles, each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 independently contains at least one of alkylene, amine, —N═N—, alkenyl, alkynyl, and phenyl, and each of m, n, and y is independently selected from 0 or positive integers; dispersing the polyaromatic compound and the metal oxide nanoparticles in a solvent to yield a mixed solution; and heating the mixed solution to yield the composite material. A composite material includes: a polyaromatic compound and metal oxide nanoparticles. The polyaromatic compound is connected to the metal oxide nanoparticles. The polyaromatic compound has a structure represented by Formula I.

A method for preparing a composite material, including the following steps: providing metal oxide nanoparticles and a polyaromatic compound having a structure represented by Formula I,

##STR00001##

where, Ar.sub.1, Ar.sub.2, Ar.sub.3, and Ar.sub.4 are selected from aromatic rings; X.sub.1, X.sub.2, and X.sub.3 are selected from active groups configured for binding with the metal oxide nanoparticles, each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 independently contains at least one of alkylene, amine, —N═N—, alkenyl, alkynyl, and phenyl, and each of m, n, and y is independently selected from 0 or positive integers; dispersing the polyaromatic compound and the metal oxide nanoparticles in a solvent to yield a mixed solution; and heating the mixed solution to yield the composite material. A composite material includes: a polyaromatic compound and metal oxide nanoparticles. The polyaromatic compound is connected to the metal oxide nanoparticles. The polyaromatic compound has a structure represented by Formula I.

This invention relates to process for producing biphenyl esters, the process comprising: (a) contacting a feed comprising toluene, xylene or mixtures thereof with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluene, wherein the hydroalkylation catalyst comprises: 1) binder present at 40 wt % or less (based upon weight of final catalyst composition), 2) a hydrogenation component present at 0.2 wt % or less (based upon weight of final catalyst composition), and 3) an acidic component comprising a molecular sieve having a twelve membered (or larger) ring pore opening, channel or pocket and a largest pore dimension of 6.0 angstroms or more present at 60 wt % or more, (based upon weight of final catalyst composition); (b) dehydrogenating the hydroalkylation reaction product using a dehydrogenation catalyst to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising a mixture of methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds; (c) contacting at the dehydrogenation reaction product with an oxidizing gas to convert the methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds to biphenyl carboxylic acids; and (d) reacting the biphenyl carboxylic acids with one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.14 alcohols to produce biphenyl esters.

This invention relates to process for producing biphenyl esters, the process comprising: (a) contacting a feed comprising toluene, xylene or mixtures thereof with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluene, wherein the hydroalkylation catalyst comprises: 1) binder present at 40 wt % or less (based upon weight of final catalyst composition), 2) a hydrogenation component present at 0.2 wt % or less (based upon weight of final catalyst composition), and 3) an acidic component comprising a molecular sieve having a twelve membered (or larger) ring pore opening, channel or pocket and a largest pore dimension of 6.0 angstroms or more present at 60 wt % or more, (based upon weight of final catalyst composition); (b) dehydrogenating the hydroalkylation reaction product using a dehydrogenation catalyst to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising a mixture of methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds; (c) contacting at the dehydrogenation reaction product with an oxidizing gas to convert the methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds to biphenyl carboxylic acids; and (d) reacting the biphenyl carboxylic acids with one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.14 alcohols to produce biphenyl esters.

The present invention relates to methods of controlling hydroformylation processes for producing normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio. In one aspect, a method of controlling a hydroformylation process comprises contacting an olefin with carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a catalyst, the catalyst comprising (A) a transition metal, (B) a monophosphine, and (C) a tetraphosphine having the structure described herein, the contacting conducted in one or more reaction zones and at hydroformylation conditions to produce a blend of normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio, the method comprising at least one of increasing the N:I ratio by adding additional tetraphosphine to a reaction zone; decreasing the N:I ratio by adding additional monophosphine to a reaction zone; or increasing the N:I ratio by volatilization of the free monophosphine.

The present invention relates to methods of controlling hydroformylation processes for producing normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio. In one aspect, a method of controlling a hydroformylation process comprises contacting an olefin with carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a catalyst, the catalyst comprising (A) a transition metal, (B) a monophosphine, and (C) a tetraphosphine having the structure described herein, the contacting conducted in one or more reaction zones and at hydroformylation conditions to produce a blend of normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio, the method comprising at least one of increasing the N:I ratio by adding additional tetraphosphine to a reaction zone; decreasing the N:I ratio by adding additional monophosphine to a reaction zone; or increasing the N:I ratio by volatilization of the free monophosphine.

Provided is a photo-oxidation reaction of benzylic C—H bonds of an aromatic compound under the catalysis of an acid catalyst. The method aims to synthesize aromatic acids and acetophenones. The acid catalyst is one of Bronsted acids, including one or a mixture of two or more selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, and potassium hydrogen sulfate, as well as N-propylsulfonate pyridinium hydrogensulfate, N-butylsulfonate pyridinium hydrogensulfate, N-propylsulfonate pyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate, N-butylsulfonate pyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate, N-propylsulfonate pyridinium tetrafluoroborate, and N-butylsulfonate pyridinium tetrafluoroborate. The oxidation reaction is conducted under mild conditions (normal temperature and pressure) using air or oxygen as the oxidant in the presence of recyclable catalyst and solvent.

Provided is a photo-oxidation reaction of benzylic C—H bonds of an aromatic compound under the catalysis of an acid catalyst. The method aims to synthesize aromatic acids and acetophenones. The acid catalyst is one of Bronsted acids, including one or a mixture of two or more selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, and potassium hydrogen sulfate, as well as N-propylsulfonate pyridinium hydrogensulfate, N-butylsulfonate pyridinium hydrogensulfate, N-propylsulfonate pyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate, N-butylsulfonate pyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate, N-propylsulfonate pyridinium tetrafluoroborate, and N-butylsulfonate pyridinium tetrafluoroborate. The oxidation reaction is conducted under mild conditions (normal temperature and pressure) using air or oxygen as the oxidant in the presence of recyclable catalyst and solvent.

The present invention relates to methods of controlling hydroformylation processes for producing normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio. In one aspect, a method of controlling a hydroformylation process comprises contacting an olefin with carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a catalyst, the catalyst comprising (A) a transition metal, (B) a monophosphine, and (C) a tetraphosphine having the structure described herein, the contacting conducted in one or more reaction zones and at hydroformylation conditions to produce a blend of normal (N) and iso (I) aldehydes at a N:I ratio, the method comprising at least one of increasing the N:I ratio by adding additional tetraphosphine to a reaction zone; decreasing the N:I ratio by adding additional monophosphine to a reaction zone; or increasing the N:I ratio by volatilization of the free monophosphine.