Abstract: Using conventional synthesis methods, when an unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof is synthesized from a hydroxycarboxylic acid or a derivative thereof by a dehydration reaction using a catalyst, the yield has been low. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a catalyst capable of synthesizing unsaturated carboxylic acids or derivatives thereof by a dehydration reaction that produces a high yield. The synthetic catalyst comprises an apatite compound containing an alkali metal in a crystal structure thereof, and the invention further includes methods for synthesizing an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof. The methods comprise contacting the aforementioned synthetic catalyst with the hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof, so as to synthesize the unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof by a dehydration reaction.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a catalyst, which solves a problem in that when an unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof has been conventionally synthesized from a hydroxycarboxylic acid or a derivative thereof by a dehydration reaction using a catalyst, the yield has been low, and which is capable of synthesizing the unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof at a high yield, and also to provide a synthetic method capable of synthesizing an unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof at a high yield.

Abstract: An appropriate catalyst is found for synthesis of an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof using as a raw material compound a hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof that can easily be synthesized from a polysaccharide such as biomass-derived cellulose, and an efficient method for synthesizing the unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or the derivative thereof is provided. This method is a method for synthesizing an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof, wherein an apatite compound is used as a catalyst to synthesize the unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or the derivative thereof from a biomass-derived hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof by a dehydration reaction.

Abstract: An appropriate catalyst is found for synthesis of an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof using as a raw material compound a hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof that can easily be synthesized from a polysaccharide such as biomass-derived cellulose, and an efficient method for synthesizing the unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or the derivative thereof is provided. This method is a method for synthesizing an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof, wherein an apatite compound is used as a catalyst to synthesize the unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or the derivative thereof from a biomass-derived hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a derivative thereof by a dehydration reaction.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a catalyst which is for synthesizing butanol from ethanol at a high selectivity and which comprises strontium phosphate apatite having the Sr/P atomic ratio of 1.5-2.0, and the synthesis method.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a catalyst which is for synthesizing butanol from ethanol at a high selectivity and which comprises strontium phosphate apatite having the Sr/P atomic ratio of 1.5-2.0, and the synthesis method.