Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cobalt catalyst is described, which comprises the steps of forming an aqueous solution of a cobalt amine complex, oxidising said solution such that the concentration of Co(III) in the oxidised solution is greater than the concentration of Co(III) in the un-oxidized solution, and then decomposing the cobalt amine complex by heating the solution to a temperature between 80 and 110° C. for sufficient time to allow an insoluble cobalt compound to precipitate out of the solution. A catalyst intermediate is also described which comprises a cobalt compound, comprising a Co(II)/Co(III) hydrotalcite phase and a CO3O4 cobalt spine) phase, wherein the ratio of cobalt hydrotalcite phase: cobalt spine) phase is less than 0.6:1, said cobalt hydrotalcite phase and said cobalt spine) phase being measured by X-ray diffractometry.

Abstract: A catalyst suitable for the dehydrogenation and hydrogenation of hydrocarbons comprises at least one first metal and at least one second metal bound to a support material. The at least one first metal comprises at least one transition metal, suitably a platinum group metal. The support material is provided with an overlayer such that acidic sites on the support material are substantially blocked. In a preferred embodiment the catalyst is also substantially chloride free. Method of preparing catalyst are also disclosed.

Abstract: A catalyst or precursor thereto comprising cobalt and/or a cobalt compound on a transition alumina support having a total cobalt content of at least 41% by weight and a cobalt surface area, after reduction, greater than 25 m2 per gram of total cobalt. The catalyst or precursor may be made by slurrying a transition alumina powder having a pore volume of at least 0.7 ml/g with an aqueous cobalt ammine carbonate complex and heating the slurry to decompose the complex.

Abstract: A fixed bed containing a particulate catalyst or sorbent material (10) subject to operation at high temperature having a shaped boundary member (16) inclined to the direction of fluid flow through the bed that maintains the depth of said catalyst or sorbent at the boundary of the bed through a series of thermal expansion-thermal contraction cycles is described. By maintaining bed depth, the shaped boundary member (16) can prevent bypass of, e.g. ammonia through a bed of particulate ammonia oxidation catalyst.

Abstract: A process for the production of hydrocarbons is described including; a) subjecting a mixture of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam to catalytic steam reforming to form a partially reformed gas, b) subjecting the partially reformed gas to partial combustion with an oxygen-containing gas and bringing the resultant partially combusted gas towards equilibrium over a steam reforming catalyst to form a reformed gas mixture, c) cooling the reformed gas mixture to below the dew point of the steam therein to condense water and separating condensed water to give a de-watered synthesis gas, d) synthesising hydrocarbons from side de-watered synthesis gas by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction and e) separating the hydrocarbons from co-produced water, characterised in that at least part of said co-produced water is fed to a saturator wherein it is contacted with hydrocarbon feedstock to provide at least part of the mixture of hydrocarbon feedstock and steam subjected to steam reforming.

Abstract: A process for producing para-xylene by the selective methylation of toluene comprising contacting a reactant mixture comprising toluene, methanol and added water, with an oxide modified ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst in a flow reactor in conditions selected to limit coke formation on the catalyst and at a contact time, between reactant mixture and catalyst, of less than 1 second.

Abstract: A process for production of hydrocarbons including a) reforming a divided hydrocarbon feedstock stream, mixing the first stream with steam, passing the mixture over a catalyst disposed in heated heat exchange reformer tubes to form a primary reformed gas, forming a secondary reformer feed stream including the primary reformed gas and the second hydrocarbon stream, partially combusting the secondary reformer feed stream and bringing the partially combusted gas towards equilibrium over a secondary catalyst, and producing a partially cooled reformed gas, b) further cooling the partially cooled reformed gas below the dew point of steam therein to condense water and separating condensed water to give a de-watered synthesis gas, c) synthesising hydrocarbons from the de-watered synthesis gas by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction and separating some of the synthesised hydrocarbons into a tail gas, and d) incorporating part of the tail gas into the secondary reformer feed stream before partial combustion thereof.

Abstract: A compound of formula (Na0.33A0.66)2B2O7-? wherein A is one or more metals chosen from the lanthanide metals; B is one or more metals chosen from Ti, Sn, Ge, Ru, Mn, Ir, Os and Pb; and ? is a number in the range 0-1 is disclosed. Water gas shift catalysts comprising precious metals such as gold dispersed on the (Na0.33A0.66)2B2O7-? compound are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of an eggshell catalyst is described comprising the steps of i) immersing shaped units of an oxidic support having a smallest unit dimension ?0.5 mm in a solution of cobalt ammine carbonate, ii) heating the solution to a temperature between 60 and 120° C. to precipitate cobalt compounds onto the surface of the shaped units, iii) separating the resulting supported cobalt compounds from the remaining solution, and iv) drying the supported cobalt compounds. The cobalt compounds may be reduced to provide catalysts suitable for the hydrogenation of unsaturated compounds or the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A process for performing a catalytic Diels-Alder reaction by reacting a diene with a dienophile in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a zeolitic material exchanged or impregnated with ions of a Lewis acidic metal is described. The catalyst, for example, copper-exchanged zeolite Y, may be treated with chiral bis(imine) compounds to direct the chirality of the reaction products. The catalyst can be separated from the reaction mixture and re-used in further Diels Alder reactions.

Abstract: A substituted paracyclophane is described of formula (I) wherein X1 and X2 are linking groups comprising between 2 to 4 carbon atoms, Y1 and Y2 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halide, oxygen, nitrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl, Z1, Z2 and Z3 are substituting groups that optionally contain functional groups, a, b, c, d, e and f are 0 or 1 and a+b+c+d+e+f=1 to 6. Preferably X1 and X2 are —(C2H4)— and a+b+c+d+e+f=1 or 2.

Abstract: A tethered ligand comprising the reaction product of an organofunctional silica and a ligand containing a functional group capable of reaction with said organofunctional silica, wherein the organofunctional silica is prepared from an alkyl silicate and an organofunctional silane is described. A supported catalyst is also described comprising additionally a source of catalytically-active metal. Methods for preparing the tethered ligand and supported catalyst are provided and uses of the supported catalyst for performing asymmetric reactions are claimed. The catalysts are readily separable from the reaction mixtures and may be re-used if desired.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of diols by a Lewis acid-catalysed aldehyde addition reaction on hydroxyalkynes followed by hydrogenation is described. The process provides a wide range of diols from simple, readily available starting materials. In particular the process is suitable for preparing chiral 1,4-diols suitable for the preparation of chiral phospholane ligands for use in asymmetric catalysis.

Abstract: A composition suitable for use as a catalyst for the reaction of an isocyanate compound or prepolymer thereof with an alcohol to form a polyurethane comprises a mixture of (a)an organometallic compound selected from: (i) a compound of formula M(RO)4, where M is titanium, zirconium, hafnium, aluminium, cobalt or iron or a mixture of these metals and OR is the residue of an alcohol ROH in which R comprises an (optionally substituted) C1-30 cyclic, branched or linear, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or alkyl-aryl group or a mixture thereof, or; (ii) a complex of titanium, zirconium and/or hafnium and an acetoacetate ester and (b) a coordinating compound selected from a ketone, aldhehyde, carboxylic acid, sulphonic acid, nitride or an imine. An isocyanate composition containing a catalyst of the claimed composition is also described.

Abstract: Process for preparing a catalyst active for the fluid bed acetoxylation of ethylene to produce vinyl acetate.

Abstract: A catalyst bed combination comprising a bed of a particulate copper-containing catalyst and, upstream of the catalyst bed, a guard bed in the form of shaped units formed from lead oxide particles and a particulate support material. The guard bed extends the life of the copper catalyst by absorbing halide contaminants in the process stream.

Abstract: Methanol is synthesized from pre-heated methanol synthesis gas in one or more adiabatic synthesis stages with cooling of the resultant gas after each stage. Further methanol synthesis is then effected on the resultant partially reacted synthesis gas in a bed of synthesis catalyst cooled by means of a coolant flowing co-currently through tubes disposed in the catalyst bed. After cooling methanol is separated from the unreacted gas. Part of the unreacted gas is combined with make-up gas and used as the coolant fed to the aforesaid tubes, thus producing the pre-heated synthesis gas to be fed to the adiabatic synthesis stages.

Abstract: A combination comprising a bed of a particulate copper-containing catalyst and, a guard bed of a particulate composition containing a) lead and/or at least one lead compound that reacts with hydrogen chloride and b) a support therefor. The lead compound is preferably lead nitrate. The combination is of particular utility for the low temperature shift reaction wherein carbon monoxide is reacted with steam to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A combination comprising a bed of a particulate copper-containing catalyst bed, a guard bed in the form of shaped units formed from lead carbonate and/or basic lead carbonate particles having an average (by volume) particle size below 100 ?m.

Abstract: Synthesis gas for a Fischer-Tropsch process is obtained by primary steam reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock in tubes in a heat exchange reformer, subjecting the primary reformed gas to secondary reforming and using the hot secondary reformed gas to heat the tubes in the heat exchange reformer. The resultant reformed gas is cooled, de-watered and used to form hydrocarbons in the Fischer-Tropsch process. At least part of the tail gas from the Fischer-Tropsch process is combusted in a gas turbine to provide power for the reforming process.