Abstract: A process for olefin metathesis is disclosed. The process involves contacting a feedstock comprising a first olefin and a second olefin having a carbon number at least two greater than that of the first olefin with a catalyst comprising a tungsten component on a refractory oxide support, e.g. silica at metathesis conditions to provide a product olefin having an intermediate carbon number between that of the first and second olefin. The catalyst is characterized in that it is first pretreated with hydrogen followed by treatment with ethylene.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the synthesis of formaldehyde from methane starting with the oxychlorination of methane to produce methylene chloride. Hydrolysis of methylene chloride yields the product formaldehyde. Gaseous formaldehyde is condensed for shipment. Byproduct chloroform and carbon tetrachloride are recovered and hydrogenated to provide additional methylene chloride.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of producing methanol includes reacting a heated hydrocarbon-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas in a reactor; to provide a product stream comprising methanol; and transferring heat from the product stream to the hydrocarbon-containing gas to heat the hydrocarbon containing gas. After removing methanol and CO2 from the product stream, unprocessed hydrocarbons are mixed with the hydrocarbon containing gas fro reprocessing through the reactor.

Abstract: Production of methanol includes supplying into a reactor a hydrocarbon-containing gas, supplying into the reactor an oxygen-containing as gas, carrying out in the reactor an oxidation of the heated hydrocarbon-containing gas by oxygen of the oxygen-containing gas, and supplying into the reactor a cold hydrocarbon-containing gas to be mixed directly with a mixture of the heated hydrocarbon-containing gas and the oxygen-containing gas at a later stage of the reaction to produce also formaldehyde.

Abstract: A method wherein a sour natural gas stream can be treated to produce primarily carbon monoxide from methane, and the carbon monoxide and hydrogensulfide are reacted to produce methyl mercaptans, (primarily methanethiol (CH3SH) and a small amount of dimethyl sulfide (CH3SCH3)). The methyl mercaptans preferably are passed in contact with a catalyst comprising a supported metal oxide or a bulk metal oxide in the presence of an oxidizing agent and for a time sufficient to convert at least a portion of the methyl mercaptan to formaldehyde (CH2O), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of using a silica-supported 12-molybdosilicic acid catalyst consisting of 12-moloybdosilicic acid supported on silica, in which 12-molybdosilicic acid is supported in an amount not smaller than 10 mass % on silica, wherein the reaction system is heated in the presence of the silica-supported 12-molybdosilicic acid catalyst to the operating temperature of the catalyst at a rate not lower than 100° C./min.

Abstract: The present invention provides a silica-supported 12-molybdosilicic acid catalyst comprising a silica carrier and at least 10% by weight, based on the silica amount, of 12-molybdosilicic acid supported on the carrier and a method of producing formaldehyde directly from a mixed gas of methane and oxygen in the presence of the particular catalyst. Formaldehyde can be produced at a high yield in the present invention without requiring a reforming process of methane with water vapor that consumes a large amount of energy. In addition, attentions are also paid to the air pollution and water contamination problems in the present invention.

Abstract: A method wherein a gas stream containing hydrogen, a carbon oxide and hydrogen sulfide is first passed in contact with a catalyst comprising a porous alumina supported sulfided metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), tungsten (W), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), tin (Sn), vanadium (Va) and mixtures thereof, optionally promoted by an alkali metal sulfide, to convert said hydrogen, carbon oxide and hydrogen sulfide to methyl mercaptans, (primarily methanethiol (CH.sub.3 SH)), and the gas stream containing the methyl mercaptans are passed in contact with a catalyst comprising a supported metal oxide or a bulk metal oxide in the presence of an oxidizing agent and for a time sufficient to convert at least a portion of the methyl mercaptan to formaldehyde (CH.sub.2 O), and sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2).

Abstract: A method wherein a sour natural gas stream can be treated to produce formaldehyde from methane and methyl mercaptans, (primarily methanethiol (CH.sub.3 SH) and a small amount of dimethyl sulfide (CH.sub.3 SCH.sub.3)) from hydrogen sulfide, and the methyl mercaptans preferably are passed in contact with a catalyst comprising a supported metal oxide or a bulk metal oxide in the presence of an oxidizing agent and for a time sufficient to convert at least a portion of the methyl mercaptan to formaldehyde (CH.sub.2 O), and sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2).

Abstract: Aluminophosphates containing manganese in the structural framework are employed for the oxidation of alkanes, for example the vapor phase oxidation of methane to methanol.

Abstract: Formaldehyde is made from methane and a molecular oxygen containing gas by using a silica supported catalyst having less than 350 parts per million by weight of sodium and having a catalytically effective amount of V.sub.2 O.sub.5. The low sodium form of the silica support can be made by washing silica gel or precipitated silica or by using a fumed silica. In general, the lower the sodium level, the better is the catalyst.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for preparing products such as 4-hydroxybutanal which comprises contacting unsaturated compounds such as allyl alcohol with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium carbonyl-phosphine catalyst and an aromatic solvent. The solvent is an aromatic which causes a large density difference between the resulting aqueous phase and organic phase so that the soluble rhodium catalyst can be easily separated from the 4-hydroxybutanal product and starting material without appreciable loss of the metal. This allows for easy recycle of the catalyst solution.

Abstract: Formaldehyde is made from methane and a molecular oxygen containing gas by using a silica supported catalyst having less than 350 parts per million by weight of sodium and having a catalytically effective amount of MoO.sub.3. The low sodium form of the silica support can be made by washing silica gel or precipitated silica, by using a fumed silica or by making an ultrapure form of silica having a silica purity of at least 99.99% silica. The ultrapure form can be made by the hydrolysis of silicon tetraalkoxides. In general, the lower the sodium level, the better is the catalyst.

Abstract: Mixed oxides of bismuth with other metals of the perovskite structure and having vacant lattice sites in the same lattice positions occupied by bismuth are disclosed as partial oxidation and ammoxidation catalysts. Such oxides are used as catalysts in the improved method of oxidizing an acyclic hydrocarbon of 1-10 carbons having at most one olefinic unsaturation by reacting the acyclic hydrocarbon in the vapor phase with oxygen in the presence of the solid catalyst to form products having carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

Abstract: A continuous process for the partial oxidation of methane to produce mixtures of formaldehyde and methanol wherein methane and an oxidizing gas are reacted in a reaction zone in the form of a flame and the resulting reaction mixture is cooled followed by separation of the resulting products, is further improved by controlling the velocity of the oxidizing gas so that it is 50 to 300 meters per second higher than the methane gas with the methane gas being introduced in a velocity of from 1 to 15 meters per second. Also, the stream of methane gas has a volume that is 3 to 100 times greater than the volume of the stream of oxidizing gas introduced into the reaction zone.