Catalytic conversion of ketoacids is disclosed, including methods for increasing the molecular weight of ketoacids. An exemplary method includes providing in a reactor a feedstock having at least one ketoacid. The feedstock is then subjected to one or more C—C-coupling reaction(s) in the presence of a catalyst system having a first metal oxide and a second metal oxide.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of diesel range hydrocarbons wherein a feed is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating step and isomerised in an isomerisation step, and a feed comprising fresh feed containing more than 5 wt % of free fatty acids and at least one diluting agent is hydrotreated at a reaction temperature of 200-400° C., in a hydrotreating reactor in the presence of catalyst, and the ratio of the diluting agent/fresh feed is 5-30:1.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of diesel range hydrocarbons wherein a feed is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating step and isomerised in an isomerisation step, and a feed comprising fresh feed containing more than 5 wt % of free fatty acids and at least one diluting agent is hydrotreated at a reaction temperature of 200-400° C., in a hydrotreating reactor in the presence of catalyst, and the ratio of the diluting agent/fresh feed is 5-30:1.

The present disclosure relates to methods for producing renewable base oil and other valuable renewable fuel components from a feedstock of biological origin comprising free fatty acids and glycerides. The feedstock is first separated to two or more effluent streams containing a fatty acid fraction and glyceride fraction. The glycerides are hydrolyzed to free fatty acids and glycerol, and the fatty acids thus obtained are recycled to the separating. The fatty acids are then converted to the base oil by ketonisation, hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation. The glycerol is converted to propanols by selective hydrogenolysis.

Disclosed is a hydrocarbon composition containing isomerised paraffins having specific cut-off points in a distillation curve, a density from 768.0 to 772.0 and an average carbon number of 14.3 to 15.1. The hydrocarbon composition can be used as a fuel or fuel component, especially a jet fuel. Disclosed is also a method to produce a hydrocarbon composition. The isomerised paraffins in the hydrocarbon composition can be from a renewable source.

Embodiments of a method for producing bio-oil include hydrothermal liquefaction of a biomass (e.g., a lignocellulosic biomass) feedstock to provide a process stream comprising crude oil and an aqueous fraction. The process stream is catalytically upgraded by contact with a sulfided-ruthenium catalyst, in the absence of added hydrogen, at a temperature and pressure effective to reduce an oxygen content of the crude oil, reduce a nitrogen content of the crude oil, reduce a total acid number of the crude oil, increase a H:C mole ratio of the crude oil, reduce a density of the crude oil, reduce a moisture content of the crude oil, reduce viscosity of the crude oil, or any combination thereof, thereby producing an upgraded oil and an upgraded aqueous fraction, which are subsequently separated. The catalytic upgrading process may be a plug-flow process and/or may be performed at or near liquefaction conditions.

A method for producing ketones includes a) providing a feedstock of biological origin having fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives having an average chain length of 24 C-atoms or less; b) subjecting the feedstock to a catalytic ketonization reaction in the presence of aK.sub.2O/TiO.sub.2-catalyst; and c) obtaining from the ketonization reaction a product stream having ketones, which ketones have a longer average hydrocarbon chain length than the average hydrocarbon chain length in the feedstock, wherein step b) is carried out directly on the feedstock and in the presence of the K.sub.2O/TiO.sub.2-catalyst as the sole catalyst applied in the ketonization reaction.

A method of reducing a C—O bond to the corresponding C—H bond in a substrate, which could be a benzylic alcohol, allylic alcohol, ester or an ether bond beta to a hydroxyl group or alpha to a carbonyl group using a recyclable metal catalyst system. The recyclable catalyst system is also applicable to reducing a C═O bond to the corresponding C—OH bond and then C—H bond. These methodologies can be linked in one-pot to selective oxidation and depolymerizations of aromatic polyols such as lignin.

Materials and methods for converting brown grease to useful diesel fuel are described. One material is a palladium catalyst on a silicon/carbon support. A method comprises flowing fresh hydrogen over a reaction of diluted brown grease on a palladium/carbon catalyst.

A diesel fuel composition containing a renewable diesel component and oxymethylene ethers having molecular structure CH3O—(CH2O)n-CH3 with n=3-5 (OME3-5). A method for producing a diesel fuel composition and use thereof. Use of OME3-5 to decrease particle emission of renewable diesel fuels is further disclosed.