Abstract: The present invention provides methods for manufacturing olefins such as ethylene and propylene from lower alkanes, that is, methane, ethane and/or propane, by oxidative dehydrogenation at elevated pressure. The olefins are selectively recovered from unconverted lower alkane feed and reaction byproducts by using a complexation separation, such as an absorption separation that uses aqueous silver nitrate as the complexation agent. Catalysts are used that give high selectivity for oxidative dehydrogenation of lower alkanes to olefins at elevated pressure, such as a nonstoichiometric rare earth oxycarbonate catalyst.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process which comprises reacting one or more reactants in the presence of a metal-organopolyphosphorus ligand complex catalyst and optionally free organopolyphosphorus ligand to produce a reaction product fluid comprising one or more products, wherein said process is conducted at a carbon monoxide partial pressure such that reaction rate increases as carbon monoxide partial pressure decreases and reaction rate decreases as carbon monoxide partial pressure increases and which is sufficient to prevent and/or lessen deactivation of the metal-organopolyphosphorus ligand complex catalyst.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process which comprises reacting one or more reactants in the presence of a metal-organopolyphosphite ligand complex catalyst and optionally free organopolyphosphite ligand to produce a reaction product fluid comprising one or more products, wherein said process is conducted at a carbon monoxide partial pressure such that reaction rate increases as carbon monoxide partial pressure decreases and reaction rate decreases as carbon monoxide partial pressure increases and which is sufficient to prevent and/or lessen deactivation of the metal-organopolyphosphite ligand complex catalyst.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process which comprises reacting one or more reactants in the presence of a metal-organopolyphosphite ligand complex catalyst and optionally free organopolyphosphite ligand to produce a reaction product fluid comprising one or more products, wherein said process is conducted at (a) a carbon monoxide partial pressure such that reaction rate increases as carbon monoxide partial pressure decreases and reaction rate decreases as carbon monoxide partial pressure increases and which is sufficient to prevent and/or lessen deactivation of the metal-organopolyphosphite ligand complex catalyst and (b) a temperature such that the temperature difference between reaction product fluid temperature and inlet coolant temperature is sufficient to prevent and/or lessen cycling of carbon monoxide partial pressure, hydrogen partial pressure, total reaction pressure, reaction rate and/or temperature during said process.