Abstract: This invention relates to heterogeneous catalysts useful for selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, comprising palladium and optionally a promoter, supported on a substrate, having an uncoated BET surface area of ?9 m2/g, the surface being coated with an ionic liquid. Also described are methods of making the catalysts and methods of selective hydrogenation of acetylene and/or dienes in front-end mixed olefin feed streams.

Abstract: This invention relates to heterogeneous catalysts useful for selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, comprising palladium and optionally a promoter, supported on a substrate, having an uncoated BET surface area of ?9 m2/g, the surface being coated with an ionic liquid. Also described are methods of making the catalysts and methods of selective hydrogenation of acetylene and/or dienes in front-end mixed olefin feed streams.

Abstract: A process for removing mercury from a gas or liquid phase, wherein the gas or liquid phase containing mercury is placed in contact with a composition comprising a precipitated metal sulfide. The precipitated metal sulfide may be made by the process of combining a metal source, sulfide source, and modifier to form the precipitated metal sulfide. The metal source may comprise iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, silver, or gold salts. The metal salt may be selected from metal nitrate, metal sulfate, metal phosphate, metal acetate, metal carbonate, metal hydroxide, metal ammonium carbonate, and metal hydroxycarbonate. The sulfide source is selected from hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide (COS), salts of sulfide (S2-), salts of hydrosulfide (HS—), and salts of polysulfide (Sn2-).

Abstract: A process for removing mercury from a gas or liquid phase, wherein the gas or liquid phase containing mercury is placed in contact with a composition comprising a precipitated metal sulfide. The precipitated metal sulfide may be made by the process of combining a metal source, sulfide source, and modifier to form the precipitated metal sulfide. The metal source may comprise iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, silver, or gold salts. The metal salt may be selected from metal nitrate, metal sulfate, metal phosphate, metal acetate, metal carbonate, metal hydroxide, metal ammonium carbonate, and metal hydroxycarbonate. The sulfide source is selected from hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide (COS), salts of sulfide (S2?), salts of hydrosulfide (HS?), and salts of polysulfide (Sn2?). The modifier may be selected from alumina, silica, aluminosilicate, clay, zeolites, carbon, cement, titania, zirconia.

Abstract: A method for purification of ethylene-containing feedstreams from steam crackers or fluid catalytic crackers (FCC), wherein the feedstreams further comprises hydrogen, carbon monoxide, acetylenes, oxygen, nitric oxides, is disclosed. The method comprises contacting an ethylene-comprising gas stream with a Ru-based catalyst at reaction temperatures of at least 120°C. The process results in an ethylene-containing feedstream wherein the ethylene is essentially free of acetylenes, nitric oxides and oxygen. The purifying of the feedstream occurs with minimal loss of ethylene.

Abstract: A method for producing a substantially desulfurized a hydrocarbon fuel stream at temperatures less than 100° C. The method includes providing a nondesulfurized fuel cell hydrocarbon fuel stream that may include water and passing the fuel stream sequentially through a zeolite Y adsorbent and a selective sulfur adsorbent. The zeolite Y adsorbent may be exchanged with copper ions. The method produces a substantially desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel stream containing less than 50 ppb sulfur.

Abstract: A catalyst for hydrogenating aldehydes to alcohols includes a combination of copper oxide and zinc oxide and promoters including one or more alkaline earth metal promoters and/or one or more transition metal promoters. The promoters may be combined with copper oxide and zinc oxide after formation of a copper/zinc precursor material.

Abstract: A method for producing a substantially desulfurized a hydrocarbon fuel stream at temperatures less than 100° C. The method includes providing a nondesulfurized fuel cell hydrocarbon fuel stream that may include water and passing the fuel stream sequentially through a zeolite Y adsorbent and a selective sulfur adsorbent. The zeolite Y adsorbent may be exchanged with copper ions. The method produces a substantially desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel stream containing less than 50 ppb sulfur.

Abstract: A catalyst for hydrogenating aldehydes to alcohols includes a combination of copper oxide and zinc oxide and promoters including one or more alkaline earth metal promoters and/or one or more transition metal promoters. The promoters may be combined with copper oxide and zinc oxide after formation of a copper/zinc precursor material.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved cyclic, endothermic hydrocarbon conversion process and a catalyst bed system for accomplishing the same. Specifically, the improved process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon with a multi-component catalyst bed in such a manner that the temperature within the catalyst bed remains within controlled temperature ranges throughout all stages of the process. The multi-component catalyst bed comprises a reaction-specific catalyst physically mixed with a heat-generating material.

Abstract: A water gas shift catalyst for use at temperatures above about 450° C. up to about 900° C. or so comprising rhenium deposited on a support, preferably without a precious metal, wherein the support is prepared from a high surface area material, such as a mixed metal oxide, particularly a mixture of zirconia and ceria, to which may be added one or more of a high surface area transitional alumina, an alkali or alkaline earth metal dopant and/or an additional dopant selected from Ga, Nd, Pr, W, Ge, Fe, oxides thereof and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A water gas shift catalyst for use at temperatures above about 450° C. up to about 900° C. or so comprising rhenium deposited on a support, preferably without a precious metal, wherein the support is prepared from a high surface area material, such as a mixed metal oxide, particularly a mixture of zirconia and ceria, to which may be added one or more of a high surface area transitional alumina, an alkali or alkaline earth metal dopant and/or an additional dopant selected from Ga, Nd, Pr, W, Ge, Fe, oxides thereof and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A stationary or fluid bed dehydrogenation catalyst containing an alumina carrier, with chromium and alkali metals consisting of only sodium and potassium, added as promoters. The resultant catalyst demonstrates greater selectivity and olefin yield than prior art dehydrogenation catalysts, especially after aging.

Abstract: A process for converting a sugar, sugar alcohol, or glycerol to a valuable chemical is described. The process may use a support comprising zirconium oxide promoted by a polyacid or promoter material. A catalytically active metal may be impregnated on the polyacid-promoted zirconium oxide support and the catalyst may then be introduced the sugar, sugar alcohol, or glycerol a source of hydrogen under reaction conditions. At least 40 wt % of the sugar, sugar alcohol or glycerol may be converted to a polyol and/or a shorter carbon-chain alcohol that may include at least one of propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, methanol, ethanol, propanol and butandiols. Specific processes for converting glycerin having a selectivity for propylene glycol and for converting sorbitol with a selectivity for propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and/or glycerin are also described.

Abstract: Use of a catalyst composition comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, nickel and combinations thereof, on a support selected from the group consisting of a beta-zeolite, mordenite and faujasites, is taught for carbon oxide methanation reactions for fuel cells. Specifically, when a mixture of gases containing hydrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water is passed over the catalyst in a reaction zone having a temperature below the temperature at which the shift reaction occurs and above the temperature at which the selective methanation of carbon monoxide occurs, the catalyst efficiently facilitates the selective hydrogenation of carbon monoxide using H2 that is present in the reformate and reduces the concentration of the CO to levels equal to or less than about 50 ppm and demonstrates a carbon monoxide (CO) methanation selectivity of greater than about 50%.

Abstract: A polyacid-promoted, zirconia catalyst or catalyst support having a high crush strength, surface area and pore volume is described. The polyacid-promoted, zirconia catalyst or catalyst support may be made by combining a zirconium compound with a polyacid/promoter material that includes the group 6 metals (i.e., chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W)), as well as phosphoric acids, sulfuric acids, and polyorganic acids. The zirconyl-promoter precursor may be extruded in the absence of any binder or extrusion aid. The polyacid-promoted, zirconia catalyst or catalyst support is hydrothermally stable in aqueous phase hydrogenation or hydrogenoloysis reactions.

Abstract: A system for dehydrogenating a C3 or C4 hydrocarbon feed stream containing a first and second layer of catalysts placed in the hydrocarbon feed stream, wherein the feed stream first passes through the first layer and then the second layer of catalysts and wherein the catalysts of the first layer contain from about 50 to about 90 percent by weight of an eta-alumina carrier, from about 10 to about 50 percent by weight of chromia and from about 0.1 to about 5 percent by weight of a zirconium compound and wherein the catalysts of the second layer of catalysts contain from about 50 to about 90 percent by weight of an eta-alumina carrier and from about 10 to about 50 percent by weight of chromia, without an added zirconium compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid phosphoric acid catalyst and a process for conversion of hydrocarbons using a solid phosphoric acid catalyst. The solid phosphoric acid catalyst comprises silicon orthophosphate, and has a silicon orthophosphate to silicon pyrophosphate ratio of at least about 5:1. The total pore volume of the solid phosphoric acid catalyst is at least about 0.17 cm3 per gram of catalyst, of which at least about 0.15 cm3 per gram is contributed by pores with diameter of at least about 10,000 ?.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved cyclic, endothermic hydrocarbon conversion process and a catalyst bed system for accomplishing the same. Specifically, the improved process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon with a multi-component catalyst bed in such a manner that the temperature within the catalyst bed remains within controlled temperature ranges throughout all stages of the process. The multi-component catalyst bed comprises a reaction-specific catalyst physically mixed with a heat-generating material.

Abstract: A process for converting aqueous sorbitol to xylitol and isosorbide in the presence of an acid catalyst, and in the absence of an enzyme or of a hydrogenating catalyst, is disclosed. In the process, a sorbitol solution is reacted with an acid zeolite to produce xylitol and isosorbide.