University of Kansas

Raghunath V Chaudhari

Bala Subramaniam

Debdut S Roy

Anand Ramanathan

Andrew M Danby

Xin Jin

Kakasaheb Y Nandiwale

Bibhas Sarkar

In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a process for forming a metal alloy catalyst. Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a process for oxidizing a substrate that includes contacting a substrate with an oxidant in the presence of a metal alloy catalyst to form one or more carboxylic acids. Suitable substrates include sugars, polyols, furfural alcohols, and polyhydroxycarboxylic acids. The oxidation process may use the alloy catalyst formed from the process of the first aspect of the invention.

Methods of forming and using metal alloy oxidative catalysts

Provided is a process for depolymerizing lignin, the process comprising exposing a liquid feed comprising lignin and a solvent to a metal-incorporated solid mesoporous silicate catalyst under conditions sufficient to depolymerize the lignin to produce one or more aromatic monomers.

Depolymerization of lignin using metal incorporated mesoporous silicate catalysts

A process for producing lactic acid from glycerol using a reaction mixture comprising glycerol, a dehydrogenation catalyst (preferably a copper-based catalyst), an alkaline component, and water.

Catalyst system and process for converting glycerol to lactic acid

Allyl alcohol, particularly from biobased sources such as glycerol, is hydroformylated to products including 4-hydroxybutyraldehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-methylpropionaldehyde by forming a homogeneous reaction mixture including allyl alcohol, a rhodium-based hydroformylation catalyst and a near critical liquefiable petroleum gas or mixture of such gases, reacting the near critical liquefiable petroleum gas (or gas mixture)-expanded allyl alcohol substrate with carbon monoxide and with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst, and recovering substantially all of the petroleum gas or gases overhead by reducing the pressure and degassing the product mixture. Dense propane is especially useful as a single inert solvent/diluent, and substantially no other solvent/diluent is needed.

Single solvent gas expanded hydroformylation process

A catalyst composition/system can include: a platinum catalyst metal (Pt) and/or rhenium catalyst metal (Re) on a first support; and a ruthenium catalyst metal (Ru) and/or rhenium catalyst metal (Re) on a second support or a platinum catalyst metal (Pt) and a ruthenium catalyst metal (Ru) and/or a rhenium catalyst metal (Re) on the same support. The Pt:Ru, Re:Pt and/or Re:Ru weight ratio can be between about 1:4 and about 4:1. The support can be alumina, carbon, silica, a zeolite, TiO, ZrOor another suitable material. The first and second support can be on the same support structure or on different support structures. In one option, the first and second supports can be positioned such that the Pt and/or Re are capable of catalyzing a dehydrogenation and/or reforming reaction that produces hydrogen and the Ru and/or Re are capable of catalyzing a hydrogenolysis reaction.

Polyol hydrogenolysis by in-situ generated hydrogen

A catalyst composition can include: a support; a ruthenium catalyst (Ru) nanoparticle; and a linker linking the Ru nanoparticle to the support, wherein the linker is stable under hydrogenolysis conditions. In one aspect, the linker can include 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTS) or derivatives thereof, such as those with amine functionality. In another aspect, the linker can include phosphotungstic acid (PTA) or other similar solid acid agents. In another aspect, the support can be selected from alumina, carbon, silica, a zeolite, TiO, ZrO, or another suitable material. A specific example of a support includes zeolite, such as a NaY zeolite. The Ru nanoparticle can have a size range from about 1 nm to about 25 nm, and can be obtained by reduction of Ru salts.

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Lawrence, KS, United States of America

Raghunath V Chaudhari