Abstract: A mixture of a cyclodextrin and an alkoxy silane compound, e.g., tetraethoxy silane, is admixed with water and an acidic or alkaline catalyst, e.g., acetic acid, to effect ligand exchange and hydrolysis of the alkoxy silane followed by gelation into a gelled mass which is dried and, preferably, leached with water to remove excess of the cyclodextrin. The thus obtained gelled material is a composite having a structure in which the cyclodextrin molecules are incorporated into the matrix of amorphous silica presumably by forming Si-O-C linkages. The composite has characteristics as a combination of the properties of both of the component materials and can expand the applicability of the materials, for example, as a carrier of catalysts and immobilized enzymes, absorbent and adsorbent and so on.

Abstract: The invention provides an improvement in the partial nuclear hydrogenation of an aromatic hydrocarbon compound in the liquid phase with admixture of water catalyzed by a ruthenium-containing solid catalyst. The scope of the invention is in the use of a novel ruthenium-containing catalyst supported on a silica gel and the like carrier and the catalyst is prepared by the hydrolysis and gelation of an alkoxide of silicon or aluminum in a solution containing a ruthenium compound, e.g. ruthenium alkoxide, followed by drying of the gelled material so that the resultant catalyst is very uniformly impregnated with the ruthenium ingredient to be imparted with greatly improved catalytis activity and selectivity for the intended reaction over conventional ruthenium-containing catalysts prepared by post-impregnation of a preformed silica gel carrier.

Abstract: A very efficient method with respect to the reaction velocity as well as selectivity is proposed for the preparation of .alpha.-tetralone by the liquid phase oxidation of tetralin with oxygen, in which a binary catalyst is employed which is composed of a compound of chromium or cobalt soluble in the reaction mixture and an N,N-dialkyl substituted carboxylic acid amide such as N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide and the like.