Abstract: Formate salts of nitrogenous bases containing a tertiary nitrogen atom are prepared by reacting the nitrogenous base with carbon dioxide and hydrogen in the presence of a solvent and a catalyst comprising an inorganic or organometallic compound of rhodium and an organophosphorus compound. The catalysts disclosed effect the reaction at a lower temperature and at higher productivities relative to the Group VIII metal catalysts of the prior art.

Abstract: An integrated process for the production of formic acid from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The process comprises for example, a reactor in which the formate salt of a nitrogenous base is produced together with subsequent purification and formic acid recovery stages. In the process described formic acid is recovered from the formate salt by using a base interchange reaction in which there is generated a thermally decomposable formate salt of a high boiling base. The high boiling base can be for example an imidazole and the nitrogenous base can be triethylamine.

Abstract: 2,3-dimethylbutene-1 (2,3-DMB1) is produced from propene by a process comprising the steps of:(A) converting propene in one or more stages to a product comprising 2,3-dimethylbutene-2 (2,3-DMB-2) under conditions whereby the proportion of 2,3-DMB-2 in the product is maximised,(B) separating 2,3-DMB-2 from the product of step (A), and(C) contacting the 2,3-DMB-2 separated in step (B) with a catalyst active for the isomerisation of 2,3-DMB-2 to 2,3-DMB-1 under conditions whereby 2,3-DMB-2 is isomerised to 2,3-DMB-1.

Abstract: An isobutylbenzene (IBB) is produced from an isobutenylcyclohexane (IBCH) by contacting at elevated temperature the IBCH in the presence of a molecular oxygen-containing gas with a catalyst comprising a supported transition metal in the form of the elemental metal and/or a compound thereof, for example palladium supported on alumina.