Abstract: Partially and fully fluorinated alkyl substituted thienothiophene monomers (and polymers thereof) wherein the monomers are represented by the formula: wherein R is a partially or fully fluorinated primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and X and X? are independently selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, Br, I, MgCl, ?—COR?, —C?CH, and a polymerizable cyclic pi-conjugated carbon-ring structure optionally comprising S, N or O heteroatoms; wherein R? is a primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and R? is H or a primary, or tertiary alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Compositions are provided comprising aqueous dispersions of polythienothiophenes and colloid-forming polymeric acids. Films from invention compositions are useful as hole injection layers in organic electronic devices, including electroluminescent devices, such as, for example, organic light emitting diodes (OLED) displays, as hole extraction layers in organic optoelectronic devices, such as organic photovoltaic devices, and in combination with metal nanowires or carbon nanotubes in applications such as drain, source, or gate electrodes in thin film field effect transistor.

Abstract: Partially and fully fluorinated alkyl substituted thienothiophene monomers (and polymers thereof) wherein the monomers are represented by the formula: wherein R is a partially or fully fluorinated primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and X and X? are independently selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, Br, I, MgCl, MgBr, Mgl, Sn(R?)3, CH?CHR?, —OR?, —COOR?, —S—COR?, —B(OR?)2, —COR?, —C?CH, and a polymerizable cyclic pi-conjugated carbon-ring structure optionally comprising S, N or O heteroatoms; wherein R? is a primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and R? is H or a primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Abstract: This invention presents polymers and copolymers comprising repeating units of thieno[3,4-b]thiophene. Water-borne dispersions of such polymers and copolymers can be cast by conventional methods to provide uniform, thin films which possess utility in numerous electroactive applications including electrochromic displays, optically transparent electrodes and antistatic coatings. The compositions of this invention can be doped with conventional p-dopants or n-dopants. The invention also presents an aqueous process for preparing such compositions of matter.

Abstract: Thienothiophenes compositions comprising a C3-8 secondary or tertiary alkyl group are disclosed. The thienothiophenes may be represented by the formula: where R is C3-8 secondary or tertiary alkyl, e.g., isopropyl, tert-butyl, tert-pentyl, isopentyl, and 2-ethylhexyl, X and X? are independently selected from the group consisting of H, halogen atoms (e.g., F, Cl, Br, and I), MgCl, MgBr, Mgl, Sn(R?)3, (where R? is C1-6 alkyl or —OC1-6 alkyl), boronic acid, boronic ester, —CH?CHR? (where R? is H or C1-6 alkyl), —OC1-6 alkyl, —COOC1-6 alkyl, —S—COR??, —COR?? (where R?? is H or C1-6 alkyl), —C?CH, and polymerizable aromatic rings such as phenyl, naphthalene, pyrrole, dithiophene, thienothiophene, thiophene and so forth.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a diesel fuel blend having a pre-determined flash-point and a pre-determined increase in cetane number over the stock diesel fuel. Upon establishing the desired flash-point and increase in cetane number, an amount of a first oxygenate with a flash-point less than the flash-point of the stock diesel fuel and a cetane number equal to or greater than the cetane number of the stock diesel fuel is added to the stock diesel fuel in an amount sufficient to achieve the pre-determined increase in cetane number. Thereafter, an amount of a second oxygenate with a flash-point equal to or greater than the flash-point of the stock diesel fuel and a cetane number greater than the cetane number of the stock diesel fuel is added to the stock diesel fuel in an amount sufficient to achieve the pre-determined increase in cetane number.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved monolith catalytic reactor and a monolith support. The improvement in the support resides in a polymer network/carbon coating applied to the surface of a porous substrate and a catalytic metal, preferably a transition metal catalyst applied to the surface of the polymer network/carbon coating. The monolith support has from 100 to 800 cells per square inch and a polymer network/carbon coating with surface area of from 0.1 to 15 m2/gram as measured by adsorption of N2 or Kr using the BET method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to monolith catalysts comprising a catalytic metal deposited onto a coated monolith substrate comprising a wash coat applied to a monolith substrate wherein the monolith catalysts have a surface area ranging from 0.1 to 25 m2/gram as measured by adsorption of N2 or Kr using the BET method. The invention also relates to the coated monolith substrates used in such monolith catalysts. The monolith catalysts of the present invention are particularly suited toward use in hydrogenation processes which employ an immiscible mixture of an organic reactant in water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved monolith catalytic reactor and a monolith support. The improvement in the support resides in a polymer network/carbon coating applied to the surface of a porous substrate and a catalytic metal, preferably a transition metal catalyst applied to the surface of the polymer network/carbon coating. The monolith support has from 100 to 800 cells per square inch and a polymer network/carbon coating with surface area of from 0.1 to 15 m2/gram as measured by adsorption of N2 or Kr using the BET method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved for the hydrogenation of an immiscible mixture of an organic reactant in water. The immiscible mixture can result from the generation of water by the hydrogenation reaction itself or, by the addition of, water to the reactant prior to contact with the catalyst. The improvement resides in effecting the hydrogenation reaction in a monolith catalytic reactor from 100 to 800 cpi, at a superficial velocity of from 0.1 to 2 m/second in the absence of a cosolvent for the immiscible mixture. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrogenation is carried out using a monolith support which has a polymer network/carbon coating onto which a transition metal is deposited.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a diesel fuel blend having a pre-determined flash-point and a pre-determined increase in cetane number over the stock diesel fuel. Upon establishing the desired flash-point and increase in cetane number, an amount of a first oxygenate with a flash-point less than the flash-point of the stock diesel fuel and a cetane number equal to or greater than the cetane number of the stock diesel fuel is added to the stock diesel fuel in an amount sufficient to achieve the pre-determined increase in cetane number. Thereafter, an amount of a second oxygenate with a flash-point equal to or greater than the flash-point of the stock diesel fuel and a cetane number greater than the cetane number of the stock diesel fuel is added to the stock diesel fuel in an amount sufficient to achieve the pre-determined increase in cetane number.

Abstract: A process for methylating an alpha carbon adjacent to an electron withdrawing group includes reacting dimethyl ether with a molecule containing the alpha carbon and the electron withdrawing group to substitute a methyl group on the alpha carbon. The process can be conducted in a vapor phase and can be represented by Equation I: R(CH2)nCH2-EWG+CH3OCH3→R(CH2)nCH(CH3)-EWG+CH3OH  (I) where EWG is the electron withdrawing group, and R is H when n is 0, 1 or 2, and R is alkyl, EWG or aryl when n>2. For example, the molecule reacted with dimethyl ether can be acetic acid, propionic acid, methyl acetate, methyl propionate, acetonitrile, propionitrile and acetone. The process is catalyzed by an acid catalyst containing a Lewis acid functionality. When the electron withdrawing group is an acid, a methyl ester can be formed by esterifying the electron withdrawing group with methanol liberated from dimethyl ether.

Abstract: Betaine is produced by the oxidation of a choline salt in the presence of a base and a supported noble metal catalyst at temperatures from about 20.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. and pressures from atmospheric to about 100 psi. This process is advantageous over prior processes for the production of betaine in that no amine halocarboxylate contaminants are produced by this reaction.

Abstract: Betaine is produced by the oxidation of a choline salt in the presence of a supported noble metal catalyst at temperatures from about 20.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. and pressures from atmospheric to about 100 psi. This process is advantageous over prior processes for the production of betaine in that no amine halocarboxylate contaminants are produced by this reaction.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing acetic anhydride by the reaction of methyl acetate, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen at elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of an alkyl halide and a heterogeneous, bifunctional catalyst that contains an insoluble polymer having pendant quaternized phosphine groups, some of which phosphine groups are ionically bonded to anionic Group VIII metal complexes, the remainder of the phosphine groups being bonded to iodide. In contrast to prior art processes, no accelerator (promoter) is necessary to achieve the catalytic reaction and the products are easily separated from the catalyst by filtration. The catalyst can be recycled for consecutive runs without loss in activity. Bifunctional catalysts for use in carbonylating dimethyl ether are also provided.

Abstract: A liquid-phase process for hydrolyzing a carboxylic acid alkyl ester having 2 to 18 carbon atoms to provide a product mixture comprising a carboxylic acid and an alcohol comprising contacting a feedstock comprising the carboxylic acid alkyl ester and water with an acidic carbon catalyst under reaction conditions sufficient to form the product mixture comprising the carboxylic acid and the alcohol. Suitable acidic carbon catalysts include charcoal and carbons produced from a variety of sources including coconut shells, coal, wood and peat. Carbon catalysts may be rendered acidic by treatment with nitric acid.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing ethylidene diacetate by the reaction of acetic anhydride, acetic acid, hydrogen and carbon monoxide at elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of an alkyl halide and a heterogeneous, bifunctional catalyst that is stable to hydrogenation and comprises an insoluble polymer having pendant quaternized heteroatoms, some of which heteroatoms are ionically bonded to anionic Group VIII metal complexes, the remainder of the heteroatoms being bonded to iodide. In contrast to prior art processes, no accelerator (promoter) is necessary to achieve the catalytic reaction and the products are easily separated from the catalyst by filtration. The catalyst can be recycled without loss in activity.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing ethylidene diacetate by the reaction of dimethyl ether, acetic acid, hydrogen and carbon monoxide at elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of an alkyl halide and a heterogeneous, bifunctional catalyst that is stable to hydrogenation and comprises an insoluble polymer having pendant quaternized heteroatoms, some of which heteroatoms are ionically bonded to anionic Group VIII metal complexes, the remainder of the heteroatoms being bonded to iodide. In contrast to prior art processes, no accelerator (promoter) is necessary to achieve the catalytic reaction and the products are easily separated from the catalyst by filtration. The catalyst can be recycled for 3 consecutive runs without loss in activity.

Abstract: Vinyl naphthenate monomer mixtures are prepared by transvinylation of naphthenic acid in the presence of a catalyst of a palladium carboxylate complexed with one or more aryl N-containing ligands and distilling the resulting vinyl naphthenate monomers in the presence of the catalyst at pot temperatures exceeding 80.degree. C. The catalyst is stable and can be re-used over several transvinylation reaction runs.

Abstract: A process for preparing a nitrated arene which comprises reacting an arene and nitric acid in the presence of a water tolerant Lewis acid catalyst under process conditions sufficient to form the nitrated arene and recovering the nitrated arene. Suitable Lewis acid catalysts are represented by the formula M.sup.n (A.sub.1).sub.x (A.sub.2).sub.n-x whereinM is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Sc, Hf, Lu and Li;A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 are independently selected from a perfluoroalkylsulfonate, a fluorosulfonate, a hexafluorophosphate or a nitrate;n is the common oxidation state of M andx is 1, 2, 3 or 4 with the proviso that x is never greater than n.The catalysts of the process are isolatable from water and can be recycled for subsequent process cycles.