Catalytica, Inc.

Catalytica Associates, Inc.

Jacques C De Deken

Robert James Saxton

Jere D Fellmann

Janis Vasilevskis

Paul R Wentrcek

David K Yee

Michael A Richard

Lyubov S Kipnis

Stanley F Newman

Michael L Cook

This is a catalyst and a process for partially hydrogenating polycyclic and monocyciic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, naphthalenes, biphenyls, and alkylbenzenes to produce the corresponding cyclooiefins. The catalyst is a hydrogenation catalyst comprising ruthenium on a composite support. It is a process in which the product cycloolefin is produced in high yield and with high selectivity.

Process and catalyst for partially hydrogenating aromatics to produce

This is a catalyst and a process for partially hydrogenating polycyclic and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, naphthalenes, biphenyls, and alkylbenzenes to produce the corresponding cycloolefins. The catalyst is a hydrogenation catalyst comprising ruthenium and a promoter metal, such as cobalt, on a composite support. It is a process in which the product cycloolefin is produced in high yield and with high selectivity.

Process and washed catalyst for partially hydrogenating aromatics to

This is a catalyst and a process for partially hydrogenating polycyclic and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, naphthalenes, biphenyls, and alkylbenzenes to produce the corresponding cycloolefins. The catalyst is a hydrogenation catalyst comprising ruthenium on a composite support. It is a process in which the product cycloolefin is produced in high yield and with high selectivity.

Tischtschenko condensation of aldehydes is used to remove aldehydes from dry ketone-containing streams. The tischtschenko condensation is used to condense the aldehydes into esters whose boiling points are significantly different than the ketones, greatly simplifying the separation of the esters from the ketones. An organic extraction step is used to obtain a substantially dry ketone containing stream. One particularly preferred class of extraction solvents is selected from the group consisting of butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane and mixtures thereof. In particularly preferred embodiments, the Tischtschenko reaction is used in the context of aqueous-phase catalyzed olefin oxidation to ketones. The aldehyde to ester condensation permits easy and efficient removal of the aldehyde analogs of the desired ketones.

Process for obtaining substantially aldehyde-free ketone products

The additional of redox-active metal components and ligands, alternatively or simultaneously, results in increased conversion and selectivity in the palladium-catalyzed oxidation of olefins to carbonyl products in the presence of polyoxoanions. In preferred modes, heteropolyoxoanions and Isopolyoxoanions containing tungsten, molybdenum and vanadium, individually or in combination, are described. The use of copper as the redox-active metal component shows reduced allylic reactivity. The elimination of chloride from the catalyst system provides substantial engineering advantages over the prior art, particularly, the reduction of corrosion and chloro-organic by-product formation. The use of redox-active metal components and/or ligands makes the palladium-polyoxoanion catalyst system industrially practicable.

Olefin oxidation catalyst system

The addition of redox-active metal components and ligands, alternatively or simultaneously, results in increased conversion and selectivity in the palladium-catalyzed oxidation of olefins to carbonyl products in the presence of polyoxoanions. In preferred modes, heteropolyoxoanions and isopolyoxoanions containing tungsten, molybdenum and vanadium, individually or in combination, are described. The use of copper as the redox-active metal component shows reduced allylic reactivity. The elimination of chloride from the catalyst system provides substantial engineering advantages over the prior art, particularly, the reduction of corrosion and chloro-organic by-product formation. The use of redox-active metal components and/or ligands makes the palladium-polyoxoanion catalyst system industrially practicable.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Jacques C De Deken