A high-purity alcohol compound can be obtained by a method comprising passing a solution containing an ester compound and methanol and/or ethanol through a column packed with an anion exchange resin having methoxide and/or ethoxide as a counter anion to generate a methyl ester and/or ethyl ester, and distilling off the methyl ester and/or ethyl ester together with the methanol and/or ethanol.

A carbonylation process in the presence of a pretreated zeolite catalyst which comprises the sequential steps (i) pretreating the catalyst and (ii) carbonylating dimethyl ether with a carbon monoxide-containing gas to produce methyl acetate in which the catalyst pretreatment step (i) comprises a step (a) contacting the catalyst with a first treatment mixture comprising water vapour; and a step (b) contacting the treated catalyst of step (a) with a second treatment mixture comprising an inert gas and at least one of dimethyl ether and methanol.

A carbonylation process in the presence of a pretreated zeolite catalyst which comprises the sequential steps (i) pretreating the catalyst and (ii) carbonylating dimethyl ether with a carbon monoxide-containing gas to produce methyl acetate in which the catalyst pretreatment step (i) comprises a step (a) contacting the catalyst with a first treatment mixture comprising water vapour; and a step (b) contacting the treated catalyst of step (a) with a second treatment mixture comprising an inert gas and at least one of dimethyl ether and methanol.

A method of processing an aqueous hemicellulosic stream containing lignin, comprising: (a) contacting an aqueous hemicellulosic stream containing lignin with a C.sub.3-8 alkyl alcohol at elevated temperature and acidic pH; (b) separating the reaction mixture obtained from step (a) into an aqueous phase containing hemicellulose-derived monosaccharide and an organic phase containing C.sub.3-8 alkyl alcohol; (c) concentrating the organic phase obtained from step (b) to remove at least some C.sub.3-8 alkyl alcohol; (d) treating the residue from step (c) with water or an aqueous medium having an alkaline pH; and (e) recovering C.sub.3-8 alkyl alcohol from the product of step (d).

A method of processing an aqueous hemicellulosic stream containing lignin, comprising: (a) contacting an aqueous hemicellulosic stream containing lignin with a C.sub.3-8 alkyl alcohol at elevated temperature and acidic pH; (b) separating the reaction mixture obtained from step (a) into an aqueous phase containing hemicellulose-derived monosaccharide and an organic phase containing C.sub.3-8 alkyl alcohol; (c) concentrating the organic phase obtained from step (b) to remove at least some C.sub.3-8 alkyl alcohol; (d) treating the residue from step (c) with water or an aqueous medium having an alkaline pH; and (e) recovering C.sub.3-8 alkyl alcohol from the product of step (d).

The present invention relates to a method for producing a substituted alkyl cycloalkanone, comprising the alkylation of a cycloalkanone with an alkene derivative in the presence of a metal oxide, where n is 2 to 20, m is 0 to 10, and R is a functional group.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a substituted alkyl cycloalkanone, comprising the alkylation of a cycloalkanone with an alkene derivative in the presence of a metal oxide, where n is 2 to 20, m is 0 to 10, and R is a functional group.

A high-purity alcohol compound can be obtained by a method comprising passing a solution containing an ester compound and methanol and/or ethanol through a column packed with an anion exchange resin having methoxide and/or ethoxide as a counter anion to generate a methyl ester and/or ethyl ester, and distilling off the methyl ester and/or ethyl ester together with the methanol and/or ethanol.

A long life catalyst is provided that is conveniently and inexpensively capable of being produced and that is highly active and has inhibited metal leakage. According to aspects of the present invention, a catalyst is provided that includes: a polymer including a plurality of first structural units and a plurality of second structural units; and metal acting as a catalytic center, wherein at least part of the metal is covered with the polymer, each of the plurality of first structural units has a first atom constituting a main chain of the polymer and a first substituent group bonded to the first atom, a second atom included in each of the plurality of second structural units is bonded to the first atom, and the second atom is different from the first atom, or at least one of all substituent groups on the second atom is different from the first substituent group.

A long life catalyst is provided that is conveniently and inexpensively capable of being produced and that is highly active and has inhibited metal leakage. According to aspects of the present invention, a catalyst is provided that includes: a polymer including a plurality of first structural units and a plurality of second structural units; and metal acting as a catalytic center, wherein at least part of the metal is covered with the polymer, each of the plurality of first structural units has a first atom constituting a main chain of the polymer and a first substituent group bonded to the first atom, a second atom included in each of the plurality of second structural units is bonded to the first atom, and the second atom is different from the first atom, or at least one of all substituent groups on the second atom is different from the first substituent group.