Abstract: A process is disclosed for converting a polysaccharide-containing biomass material to platform chemicals. The process comprises dissolving the polysaccharides in an inorganic molten salt hydrate, converting the polysaccharides to monosaccharides, and converting the monosaccharides to derivatized (di) anhydro sugars that are easily separable from the inorganic molten salt hydrate. The derivatized (di) anhydro sugars are useful as fuel additives and fuel substitutes.

Abstract: A reaction product is made by flowing a liquid containing a reactant through a porous ceramic honeycomb wherein the porosity of the walls of the honeycomb are such that the liquid containing the reactant substantially penetrates into the walls and the reactant reacts as the liquid containing the reactant flows from the inlet end to the outlet end of the monolithic ceramic honeycomb.

Abstract: A method to measure the quantity of olefin species in a complex hydrocarbon mixture by means of comprehensive multi-dimensional gas chromatography, involves passing a sample of a hydrocarbon mixture through a first capillary column comprising a dimethyl-polysiloxane stationary phase, subjecting the sample to a thermal modulation before entering a second column comprising a 50% phenyl, equivalent, polysilphenylene-siloxane stationary phase, wherein the introduction bandwidth into the second column is smaller than 20 milliseconds.

Abstract: A process to prepare a gasoline fuel by contacting a Fischer-Tropsch product with a catalyst system of an acidic matrix and a large pore molecular sieve wherein the Fischer-Tropsch product has a weight ratio of compounds having at least 60 or more carbon atoms and compounds having at least 30 carbon atoms in the Fischer-Tropsch product of at least 0.2 and wherein at least 30 wt % of compounds in the Fischer-Tropsch product have at least 30 carbon atoms.

Abstract: There is described a catalyst element (1) consisting of an integral whole having channels (2) extending therethrough. These channels (2) have, in circumferential sense of the cross section thereof, at least one concave wall portion and at least one convex wall portion, preferably provided by longitudinal projections (4) or grooves (7). As a result, a liquid phase (10) will preferentially be located in cavities (5) defined along the channel walls, and a gas phase (20) will preferentially be located centrally in the channels (2). Consequently, the catalyst element (1) according to the invention offers the possibility of being operated in countercurrent mode with only a slight loss of pressure.