Abstract: A process is provided for preparing a carrier which process comprises incorporating into the carrier at any stage of the carrier preparation a strength-enhancing additive. Also provided is the resultant carrier having incorporated therein a strength-enhancing additive and a catalyst comprising the carrier. Also provided is a process for the epoxidation of an olefin employing the catalyst. Also provided is a method of using the olefin oxide so produced for making a 1,2-diol, a 1,2-diol ether or an alkanolamine.

Abstract: A high activity and high selectivity silver catalyst comprising silver and, optionally, one or more promoters supported on a suitable support material having the form of a shaped agglomerate. The structure of the shaped agglomerate is that of a hollow cylinder having a relatively small inside (bore) diameter. The catalyst is made by providing the shaped material of a particular geometry and incorporating the catalytic components therein. The catalyst is useful in the epoxidation of ethylene.

Abstract: A catalyst composition comprising a support having a surface area of at least 500 m2/kg, and deposited on the support: silver metal, a metal or component comprising rhenium, tungsten, molybdenum or a nitrate- or nitrite-forming compound, and a Group IA metal or component comprising a Group IA metal having an atomic number of at least 37, and in addition potassium, wherein the value of the expression (QK/R)+QHIA is in the range of from 1.5 to 30 mmole/kg, wherein QHIA and QK represent the quantities in mmole/kg of the Group IA metal having an atomic number of at least 37 and potassium, respectively, present in the catalyst composition, the ratio of QHIA to QK is at least 1:1, the value of QK is at least 0.01 mmole/kg, and R is a dimensionless number in the range of from 1.5 to 5, the units mmole/kg being relative to the weight of the catalyst composition.

Abstract: A catalyst for the epoxidation of an olefin comprising a carrier and, deposited on the carrier, silver, a rhenium promoter, a first co-promoter, and a second co-promoter; wherein the quantity of the rhenium promoter deposited on the carrier is greater than 1 mmole/kg, relative to the weight of the catalyst; the first co-promoter is selected from sulfur, phosphorus, boron, and mixtures thereof; the second co-promoter is selected from tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, and mixtures thereof; and the total quantity of the first co-promoter and the second co-promoter deposited on the carrier is at most 3.8 mmole/kg, relative to the weight of the catalyst; a process for preparing the catalyst; a process for preparing an olefin oxide by reacting a feed comprising an olefin and oxygen in the presence of the catalyst; and a process for preparing a 1,2-diol, a 1,2-diol ether, a 1,2-carbonate, or an alkanolamine.

Abstract: A process for the production of an olefin oxide, which process comprises reacting a feed comprising an olefin and oxygen in the presence of a silver-containing catalyst, wherein before the catalyst has reached an advanced stage of ageing the reaction temperature is above 255° C. and the olefin content of the feed is above 25 mole-%, relative to the total feed.

Abstract: A high activity and high selectivity silver catalyst comprising silver and, optionally, one or more promoters supported on a suitable support material having the form of a shaped agglomerate. The structure of the shaped agglomerate is that of a hollow cylinder having a relatively small inside (bore) diameter. The catalyst is made by providing the shaped material of a particular geometry and incorporating the catalytic components therein. The catalyst is useful in the epoxidation of ethylene.

Abstract: A method for reusing rhenium from a donor spent epoxidation catalyst, the method comprising: providing a donor comprising spent epoxidation catalyst comprising rhenium, the donor having a cumulative alkylene oxide production of 0.16 kT/m3 of the spent epoxidation catalyst or more; contacting the donor with an aqueous liquid to produce rhenium-depleted donor and aqueous extract comprising extracted rhenium; separating the aqueous extract and the rhenium-depleted donor; and, using the extracted rhenium as a source of rhenium in a subsequent process.

Abstract: A high activity and high selectivity silver catalyst comprising silver and, optionally, one or more promoters supported on a suitable support material having the form of a shaped agglomerate. The structure of the shaped agglomerate is that of a hollow cylinder having a relatively small inside (bore) diameter. The catalyst is made by providing the shaped material of a particular geometry and incorporating the catalytic components therein. The catalyst is useful in the epoxidation of ethylene.

Abstract: A process for preparing a rejuvenated epoxidation catalyst, for the epoxidation of one or more olefins using the rejuvenated epoxidation catalyst to produce olefin oxide, and for the production of a 1,2-diol, a 1,2-diol ether, or an alkanol amine from the olefin oxide, the process comprising: providing a quantity of spent epoxidation catalyst having a cumulative alkylene oxide production of 0.16 kT/m3 of the spent epoxidation catalyst or more; and, depositing additional silver on the spent epoxidation catalyst in an amount of 0.2% w or more, based on the weight of the spent epoxidation catalyst.

Abstract: A process is provided for preparing a carrier which process comprises incorporating into the carrier at any stage of the carrier preparation a strength-enhancing additive. Also provided is the resultant carrier having incorporated therein a strength-enhancing additive and a catalyst comprising the carrier. Also provided is a process for the epoxidation of an olefin employing the catalyst. Also provided is a method of using the olefin oxide so produced for making a 1,2-diol, a 1,2-diol ether or an alkanolamine.

Abstract: A high activity and high selectivity silver catalyst comprising silver and, optionally, one or more promoters supported on a suitable support material having the form of a shaped agglomerate. The structure of the shaped agglomerate is that of a hollow cylinder having a relatively small inside (bore) diameter. The catalyst is made by providing the shaped material of a particular geometry and incorporating the catalytic components therein. The catalyst is useful in the epoxidation of ethylene.

Abstract: A process for the production of an olefin oxide, which process comprises reacting a feed comprising an olefin and oxygen in the presence of a silver-containing catalyst, wherein before the catalyst has reached an advanced stage of ageing the reaction temperature is above 255° C. and the olefin content of the feed is above 25 mole-%, relative to the total feed.

Abstract: A high activity and high selectivity silver catalyst comprising silver and, optionally, one or more promoters supported on a suitable support material having the form of a shaped agglomerate. The structure of the shaped agglomerate is that of a hollow cylinder having a small inside diameter compared to the outside diameter. The catalyst is made by providing the shaped material of a particular geometry and incorporating the catalytic components therein. The catalyst is useful in the epoxidation of ethylene.

Abstract: A catalyst composition comprising a support having a surface area of at least 500 m2/kg, and deposited on the support:

Abstract: A process for the epoxidation of an olefin, which process comprises reacting a feed comprising an olefin, oxygen and an organic halide, in the presence of a catalyst comprising silver and rhenium deposited on a carrier, wherein the catalyst comprises rhenium in a quantity of at most 1.5 mmole/kg, relative to the weight of the catalyst, and at most 0.0015 mmole/m2, relative to the surface area of the carrier, and in which process the reaction temperature is increased to at least partly reduce the effect of loss of activity of the catalyst while the organic halide is present in a relative quantity Q which is maintained constant, which relative quantity Q is the ratio of an effective molar quantity of active halogen species present in the feed to an effective molar quantity of hydrocarbons present in the feed; and a catalyst comprising silver and rhenium deposited on a carrier, wherein the catalyst comprises rhenium in a quantity of at most 0.9 mmole/kg, relative to the weight of the catalyst, and at most 0.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the oxidation of olefins having three or more carbon atoms in which the olefin is reacted with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst containing silver and a promoter containing potassium and a promoter containing rhenium deposited on an &agr;-alumina carrier, in which the potassium promoter provides potassium at a concentration of up to 120 &mgr;mole per gram of catalyst. The invention further provides a catalyst composition for the oxidation of olefins having three or more carbon atoms in which the catalyst contains silver and a promoter containing potassium and a promoter containing rhenium deposited on an &agr;-alumina carrier, in which the potassium promoter provides potassium at a concentration of from 8 &mgr;mole per gram to 120 &mgr;mole per gram of catalyst.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of a catalyst suitable for the production of ethylene oxide which process comprises depositing a promoting amount of a salt of a rare earth metal and a promoting amount of a salt of an alkaline earth metal and/or a salt of a Group VIII transition metal on a porous, refractory support, calcining the support, and thereafter depositing a catalytically effective amount of silver, a promoting amount of alkali metal, and optionally, a promoting amount of rhenium and/or a promoting amount of a rhenium co-promoter selected from sulfur, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium, phosphorus, boron and mixtures thereof, on the support, and subsequently drying the support.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ethylene oxide catalyst which contains silver and one or more alkali metal promoters supported an a carrier having a crush strength of at least about 5 pounds and a settled packing density of at least about 30 pounds/cubic foot which comprises first and second alpha alumina components with a first alpha alumina component in the form of particles having a median crystallite size of from about 0.4 to about 4 microns providing from about 95% to about 40% of the total weight of alpha alumina in the carrier and a second alpha alumina component generated in situ by a sol-gel process and providing the balance of the alpha alumina in the carrier. Titania is optionally added to the carrier.