Abstract: Aromatic compounds are prepared from a feed stream comprising biomass or a mixture of biomass and synthetic polymer in a process, comprising: a) subjecting the feed stream to a pyrolysis treatment in the presence of a cracking catalyst to yield a vaporous fraction comprising hydrocarbons with olefinic unsaturation and oxygen containing organic compounds and coke-laden cracking catalyst; b) separating the vaporous fraction from the coke-laden cracking catalyst; c) contacting the vaporous fraction with a second, aromatization catalyst in a conversion treatment to yield a conversion product comprising aromatic compounds; and d) recovering aromatic compounds from the conversion product, wherein the cracking catalyst is a naturally occurring material, selected from the group consisting of inorganic salts, refractory oxides, minerals, industrial rock and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the hydrotreatment of a vegetal biomass. Specifically, the present invention relates to a process for the hydrotreatment of a vegetal biomass comprising: a) subjecting said vegetal biomass to a hydrotreatment in a first reactor, said hydrotreatment comprises contacting said vegetal biomass in an aqueous medium and a metal oxide, a mixed metal oxide, or a metal-metalloid oxide catalyst comprising at least 35% by weight of metal oxide, mixed metal oxide, or metal-metalloid oxide relative to the total weight of the catalyst, with hydrogen at a pressure in the range of 10 to 400 bar and at a temperature in the range of 50° C. to 300° C. until a predetermined level of the hydrotreatment of said biomass is obtained and wherein the metal oxide, a mixed metal oxide, or a metal-metalloid oxide catalyst comprises nickel. Further, the present invention relates to a metal oxide, mixed metal oxide or metal-metalloid oxide catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing caprolactone, comprising converting 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde by hydrogenation into at least one intermediate compound selected from the group of 2,5-tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol, 1,6-hexanediol and 1,2,6-hexanetriol, and preparing caprolactone from said intermediate compound. Further, the invention relates to a method for preparing 1,2,6-hexanetriol comprising preparing 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfaldehyde from a renewable source, converting 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfaldehyde into 2,5-tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol and converting 2,5-tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol into 1,2,6-hexanetriol. Further, the invention relates to a method for preparing 1,6-hexanediol from 1,2,6-hexanetriol, wherein 1,2,6-hexanetriol is subjected to a ring closure reaction, thereby forming (tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)methanol, and the (tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)methanol is hydrogenated, thereby forming 1,6-hexane diol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the hydrotreatment of a vegetal biomass. Specifically, the present invention relates to a process for the hydrotreatment of a vegetal biomass comprising: a) subjecting said vegetal biomass to a hydrotreatment in a first reactor, said hydrotreatment comprises contacting said vegetal biomass in an aqueous medium and a metal oxide, a mixed metal oxide, or a metal-metalloid oxide catalyst comprising at least 35% by weight of metal oxide, mixed metal oxide, or metal-metalloid oxide relative to the total weight of the catalyst, with hydrogen at a pressure in the range of 10 to 400 bar and at a temperature in the range of 50° C. to 300° C. until a predetermined level of the hydrotreatment of said biomass is obtained and wherein the metal oxide, a mixed metal oxide, or a metal-metalloid oxide catalyst comprises nickel. Further, the present invention relates to a metal oxide, mixed metal oxide or metal-metalloid oxide catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing caprolactone, comprising converting 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde by hydrogenation into at least one intermediate compound selected from the group of 2,5-tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol, 1,6-hexanediol and 1,2,6-hexanetriol,and preparing caprolactone from said intermediate compound. Further, the invention relates to a method for preparing 1,2,6-hexanetriol comprising preparing 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfaldehyde from a renewable source, converting 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfaldehyde into 2,5-tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol and converting 2,5-tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol into 1,2,6-hexanetriol. Further, the invention relates to a method for preparing 1,6-hexanediol from 1,2,6-hexanetriol, wherein 1,2,6-hexanetriol is subjected to a ring closure reaction, thereby forming (tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)methanol, and the (tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)methanol is hydrogenated, thereby forming 1,6-hexane diol.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a centrifugal contact-separator for carrying out a non-radioactive reaction in a liquid-liquid emulsion formed from two immiscible liquids. The invention also relates to a process for carrying out a reaction in a centrifugal contact-separator, and to a process for carrying out a catalytic reaction in a centrifugal contact-separator. An example of a process for carrying out a reaction, comprising the following steps: i) continuously introducing a liquid phase A and a liquid phase B into at least one first centrifugal contact separator, where in liquid phases A and B are immiscible and wherein phase A and/or phase B comprise at least one reactant ii) mixing phase A and phase B thereby allowing an emulsion to be formed iii) applying a centrifugal force that allows phase separation of the emulsion, such that phases A? and B? are obtained; iv) optionally, recovering a reaction product from at least one or the phases A? and B?.

Abstract: Catalyst compositions for the oligomerization or polymerization of olefinically unsaturated hydrocarbons, comprising a heterocyclopentadienyl of the general formulaC.sub.4 AR.sub.4,wherein A is a Group V element and each R, which is connected to a carbon of the heterocyclopentadienyl ring, can be the same or different and is chosen from hydrogen or an organic substituent (optionally containing one or more heteroatoms), in complex with a Group IV or V metal, and the process of oligomerization or polymerization olefinically unsaturated hydrocarbons in the presence of such catalyst compositions.

Abstract: A catalyst composition comprisinga) a palladium compound,b) an anion, andc) an asymmetric phosphorus bidentate ligand of the general formula R.sup.5 R.sup.6 P-Q-CHR.sup.9 -PR+7R.sup.8, wherein Q is a 1,2-ferrocenyl bridging group, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 are identical or different optionally polar substituted hydrocarbyl groups and R.sup.9 is hydrogen or an optionally polar substituted hydrocarbyl group;a process for the preparation of linear alternating copolymers of carbon monoxide with an aliphatic -olefin having at least 3 and at most 10 carbon atoms, which process comprises contacting a mixture of the monomers with a said catalyst composition; and a linear alternating copolymer of carbon monoxide with an aliphatic -olefin having at least 3 and at most 10 carbon atoms which copolymer has an isotacticity of 95% or more.