Abstract: A liquid catalyst composition for the oxidative coupling of methane and other hydrocarbon compounds to produce higher hydrocarbons and for the oxidative dehydrogenation of aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon compounds, aliphatic and alicyclic substituted aromatic hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof is disclosed.

Abstract: A catalytic process for gas phase oxidative coupling of aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon compounds to produce higher molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds, the catalyst being a mixed basic metal oxide or sulfide catalyst. One preferred mixed basic metal oxide catalyst is boron/alkali metal promoted metal oxide.

Abstract: A mixed basic metal oxide/sulfide catalyst having the formulaxA.yB.zC.qDwherein A is an alkali metal selected from lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium and mixtures thereof; B is a cation which has an ionization state 2 and 3 greater than the ionization state of C; B is selected from titanium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum, niobium, vanadium and mixtures thereof; C is selected from magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium and mixtures thereof; D is selected from oxygen, sulfur and mixtures thereof; x and y are in mole fractions of z such that when z=1 then x=0.001 to 0.25, and y=0.001 to 0.25; and q is a number necessary to maintain charge balance with D. The sulfide form provides tolerance for sulfur containing feedstocks. The catalyst is useful for oxidative coupling of methane and aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon compounds with an aromatic compound to produce higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and for dehydrogenating hydrocarbon compounds to produce unsaturated aliphatic and alicyclic chains.

Abstract: A mixed basic metal sulfide catalyst having the formula:xA.yB.zC.qSwherein A is an alkali metal selected from lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium and mixtures thereof; B is a cation which has an ionization state 1 greater than the ionization state of C; B is selected from scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, actinium, aluminum, boron and mixtures thereof when C is selected from beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, radium, zinc, cadmium, mercury and mixtures thereof and B is selected from titanium, zirconium, hafnium, silicon and mixtures thereof when C is selected from scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, actinium, aluminum, boron and mixtures thereof; x and y are in mole fractions of z such that when z=1 then x=0.001 to 0.25, and y=0.001 to 0.25; and q is a number necessary to maintain charge balance with S being sulfur.

Abstract: HMX is obtained in substantially increased amount by means of a novel modcation of the conventional process for producing HMX by reaction of hexamine with a nitrating agent consisting of HNO.sub.3 --NH.sub.4 NO.sub.3 solution in acetic acid-acetic anhydride medium, wherein the nitrating agent, hexamine solution and acetic anhydride are concurrently added to a mixture of acetic acid and acetic anhydride called a "heel". The modification involves incorporating a small amount of hexamine in the heel prior to the addition of a major portion of the nitrating agent.