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: The invention is a method for continuously preparing highly pure octafluorocyclopentene for use in dry-etching processes. The method includes reacting octachlorocyclopentene with KF in a continuous manner, and purifying crude octafluorocyclopentene. In the reacting step, two KF-charged filters are installed in parallel and allowed to communicate with a reactor containing octachlorocyclopentene in an alternating manner to produce crude octafluorocyclopentene. In the purifying step, organics having lower boiling points than octafluorocyclopentene are removed, and metal ingredients and organics having boiling points higher than octafluorocyclopentene are separated to recover octafluorocyclopentene as a gas. The gaseous octafluorocyclopentene composition contains C5F8 in an amount of 99.995 vol % or higher, nitrogen in an amount of 50 vol ppm or less, oxygen in an amount of 5 vol ppm or less, water in an amount of 5 vol ppm or less, and metal ingredients in an amount of 5 wt ppb or less.

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 process for preparing cyclic organohydrogensiloxanes is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of (A) and (B). Step (A) comprising contacting a silane of the formula RHSiCl2, where R is selected from alkyl radicals having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and aryl radicals, with water to form a hydrolyzate. The hydrolyzate formed in step (A) comprising cyclic organohydrogensiloxanes and linear organohydrogensiloxanes. Step (B) comprising contacting the hydrolyzate formed in (A) with an acidic rearrangement catalyst in the presence of an inert liquid diluent to increase the ratio of the cyclic organohydrogensiloxanes to linear organohydrogensiloxanes in the hydrolyzate. The process further characterized by that the acidic rearrangement catalyst is an organic compound containing a strong acid group which is dissolved in the inert diluent present.

Abstract: 1-Methyl-2,4,5-Trinitroimidazole is synthesized starting from 4-nitroimidazole using stepwise nitration method and further methylation using Dimethylsulphate. It is relatively insensitive to impact and its thermal stability is excellent. The calculated detonation properties indicate that its performance is about 30% better than TATB. It can be prepared easily, with reasonable yield, starting from commercially available Imidazole. Results from impact sensitivity, friction sensitivity, time-to-explosion temperature and vacuum stability tests indicate that it is less sensitive than both RDX and HMX. The good oxygen balance and measured heat of formation data of this material indicate that its propellant performance should be good.

Abstract: Fischer-Tropsch process for the conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to C5+ hydrocarbon mixtures in which process use is made of Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles and particles comprising zeolite Y with a water adsorption capacity (25° C., p/p0=0.20) of at least 16 wt %.

Abstract: Methods have been developed to form catalysts having active metals disposed on a carbon nanotube coated porous substrate. Catalysts and reactions over nanotube-containing catalysts are also disclosed. Results are presented showing enhanced performance resulting from use of the inventive catalyst. Mesoporous oxide layers can be utilized to improve catalyst properties.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CH2CF3 is disclosed. The process involves (a) reacting HF and at least one halopropene of the formula CX3CCI=CCIX (where each X is independently F or CI) to produce a product including both CF3CCI=CF2 and CF3CHCICF3; (b) reacting CF3CCI=CF2 and CF3CHCICF3 produced in (a) with hydrogen to produce a product including both CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CH2CF3; and (c) recovering CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CH2CF3 from the product produced in (b). In (a), the CF3CCI=CF2 and CF3CHCICF3 are produced in the presence of a fluorination catalyst including a ZnCr2O4/crystalline ?-chromium oxide composition, a ZnCr2O4/crystalline ?-chromium oxide composition which has been treated with a fluorinating agent, a zinc halide/?-chromium oxide composition and/or a zinc halide/?-chromium oxide composition which has been treated with a fluorinating agent.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the manufacture of CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CHFCH2F. The process involves (a) reacting hydrogen fluoride, chlorine, and at least one halopropene of the formula CX3CCl?CClX (where each X is independently F or Cl) to produce a product including both CF3CCl2CClF2 and CF3CClFCCl2F; (b) reacting CF3CCl2CClF2 and CF3CClFCCl2F produced in (a) with hydrogen to produce a product including both CF3CH2CHF2, and CF3CHFCH2F; and (c) recovering CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CHFCH2F from the product produced in (b). In (a), the CF3CCl2CClF2 and CF3CClFCCl2F are produced in the presence of a chlorofluorination catalyst including a ZnCr2O4/crystalline ?-chromium oxide composition, a ZnCr2O4/crystalline ?-chromium oxide composition which has been treated with a fluorinating agent, a zinc halide/?-chromium oxide composition and/or a zinc halide/?-chromuim oxide composition which has been treated with a fluorinating agent.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the manufacture of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane (HFC-236fa) and at least one 1,1,1,2,3,3-hexafluoropropane (HFC-236ea) and 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea). The process involves (a) reacting HF, Cl2, and at least one halopropene of the formula CX3CCl=CX2 (where each X is independently F or Cl) to produce a product including both CF3CCl2CF3 and CF3CClFCClF2; (b) reacting CF3CCl2CF3 and CF3CClFCClF2 produced in (a) with hydrogen to produce a product comprising CF3CH2CF3 and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of CHF2CHFCF3, and CF3CHFCF3; and (c) recovering from the product produced in (b), CF3CH2CF3 and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of CHF2CHFCF3 and CF3CHFCF3.

Abstract: Anhydrous processing to convert methane into oxygenates (such as methanol), liquid fuels, or olefins uses an initiator to create methyl radicals. These radicals combine with sulfur trioxide to form methyl-sulfonate radicals. These radicals attack fresh methane, forming stable methane-sulfonic acid (MSA) while creating new methyl radicals to sustain a chain reaction. This system avoids the use or creation of water, and liquid MSA is an amphoteric solvent that increasing the solubility and reactivity of methane and SO3. MSA from this process can be sold or used as a valuable chemical with no mercaptan or halogen impurities, or it can be heated and cracked to release methanol (a clean fuel, gasoline additive, and chemical feedstock) and sulfur dioxide (which can be oxidized to SO3 and recycled back into the reactor). MSA also can be converted into gasoline, olefins, or other valuable chemicals.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of detergents involving separating the hydrocarbonaceous product stream from a Fischer-Tropsch process producing normally liquid and normally solid hydrocarbons into a light fraction and one or more heavy fractions, hydrogenating at least part of the light fraction to convert unsaturated hydrocarbons and/or oxygenates into saturated hydrocarbons, distilling product thus obtained into at least one fraction comprising detergent hydrocarbons, dehydrogenating at least part of the detergent hydrocarbons to obtain a detergent hydrocarbon stream having mono-olefins and converting the mono-olefins into detergents. The invention further concerns a process for the preparation of detergents in which process a hydrogenated product, which is obtained according to the above process, is dehydrogenated to obtain a detergent hydrocarbon stream of mono-olefins, followed by conversion of the mono-olefins into detergents.

Abstract: A method for ring-halogenating an aromatic compound comprises contacting the aromatic compound with chlorine or bromine in the presence of a catalyst composition, where the catalyst composition comprises at least one salt comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Group 13 metal; and a counterion derived from an acid having a pKa relative to water of 0 or greater; and at least one organic sulfur compound.

Abstract: The compound boron carbide, B4C, is an effective catalyst for the alkylation and acylation of aromatics to produce polybenzyls, ketones, esters and alkyl benzenes. The catalyst boron carbide is also effective in conducting intramolecular Friedel-Crafts type reactions to produce cyclic ketones.

Abstract: The present invention relates to thermally stable, high surface area alumina supports and a method of preparing such supports with at least one modifying agent. The method includes adding an aluminum modifying agent to the alumina prior to calcining. The inventive support has thermal stability at temperatures above 800° C. A more specific embodiment of the invention is a catalyst having a high surface area, thermally stable alumina support with at least one group VIII metal or rhenium and an optional promoter loaded onto the support. The present invention further relates to gas-to-liquids conversion processes, more specifically for producing C5+ hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method of phosphorodiamidite production comprising the steps of reacting a phosphorus trihalide with a dialkyl amine in a polar solvent to form an intermediate compound. This intermediate compound is then subsequently reacted with an hydroxylalkyl compound and a dialkyl amine in the presence of a non-polar cosolvent. Following filtration to remove the solid by-product the two solvents form separate layers. This is advantageous as the upper, non-polar solvent, layer contains the high-purity phosphorodiamidite product.

Abstract: A method and a system for drying a biomass, wet pulverized coal or combinations thereof, using heat from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a heat exchanger to heat a nitrogen gas, using a flue gas in a heater to heat the heated nitrogen gas to a higher temperature, passing the twice heated nitrogen gas through apparatus to pulverize the fuel source of coal, biomass or both, forming a gas/particulate stream, filtering the gas/particulate stream in a filter to remove dried fuel feed stocks and using a blower to form a first steam and nitrogen mixture for discharge, and a second steam and nitrogen mixture for mixing with additional dry nitrogen gas for introduction to the first step of the method, at the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly picric acid explosive comprising, providing a nitromalondialdehyde, providing a dinitroketone, reacting the nitromalondialdehydes with the dinitroketone to produce a mixture, and subjecting the mixture to a cyclodehydrative mechanism to produce environmentally friendly picric acid explosive. Embodiments of the present invention include the picric acid explosive produced by the methods of described above.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are novel binaphthol derivatives and methods for the optical resolution of amino acids or amino alcohols and for the optical transformation of D, L-forms of amino acids using the same.

Abstract: A process for preparing and using a cobalt slurry phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst includes introducing a modifying component Mc into a catalyst support precursor, followed by shaping and calcination, to obtain a catalyst support. The catalyst support is impregnated with an aqueous solution of a cobalt salt, to form an impregnated support which is partially dried and calcined, to obtain a catalyst precursor. The catalyst precursor is reduced to form a cobalt slurry phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst. A synthesis gas is contacted with this catalyst in a slurry phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction at elevated temperature and elevated pressure, and a clean wax product that contains less than 50 mass ppm submicron particulates of cobalt is obtained.