Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing neohexene, comprising contacting isobutene with a supported catalyst comprising a tungsten compound chosen from tungsten hydrides, organometallic tungsten compounds and organometallic tungsten hydrides, and a support comprising an oxide of aluminum, so as to form a reaction mixture comprising neohexene, and preferably separating neohexene from the reaction mixture, so as to isolate it. The contacting leads to the direct production of neohexene, in particular in a single (reaction) stage and with a high molar selectivity for neohexene. The contacting can be performed at a temperature of 50 to 600 ° C., under a total absolute pressure of 0.01 to 100 MPa.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for converting ethane into liquid mixture of (C4+) alkanes having 4 carbon atoms and more, preferably (C5+) alkanes having 5 carbon atoms and more.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solid metal compound comprising (i) a solid support comprising aluminium oxide, (ii) at least one first metal compound (C1) selected from metal hydrides, organometallic compounds and organometallic hydrides, and comprising a metal (M1) selected from the lanthanides, the actinides and the metals of Groups 4 to 7 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and (iii) at least one second metal compound (C2) comprising a metal (M2) selected from the metals of Groups 8 to 10 of said Table. The compounds (C1) and (C2) are preferably supported on, particularly grafted onto the solid support.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst system which is a mixture of at least two catalytic species, the first catalytic species being a dehydrogenation catalyst and the second catalytic species being an epoxidation catalyst and comprising silver. The present invention also relates to a process for the production of epoxides, in particular a process for the production of an epoxide from an alkane or a mixture comprising an alkane and an alkene, which process comprises contacting said alkane or mixture comprising said alkane and said alkene and a source of oxygen with such a catalyst system comprising a mixture of at least two catalytic species, the first catalytic species providing dehydrogenation activity and the second catalytic species providing epoxidation activity and comprising silver.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing neohexene, comprising contacting isobutene with a supported catalyst comprising a tungsten compound chosen from tungsten hydrides, organometallic tungsten compounds and organometallic tungsten hydrides, and a support comprising an oxide of aluminium, so as to form a reaction mixture comprising neohexene, and preferably separating neohexene from the reaction mixture, so as to isolate it. The contacting leads to the direct production of neohexene, in particular in a single (reaction) stage and with a high molar selectivity for neohexene. The contacting can be performed at a temperature of 50 to 600° C., under a total absolute pressure of 0.01 to 100 MPa.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for converting methane into a higher alkane mixture, preferably a liquid alkane mixture, comprising (C3+) alkanes having 3 carbon atoms and more, preferably (C4+) alkanes having 4 carbon atoms, especially (C5+) alkanes having 5 carbon atoms and more.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for converting ethylene into propylene consisting in reacting said ethylene with a supported metal compound comprising an aluminium oxide based support to which a tungsten hydride is grafted. Said reaction is carried out at a temperature ranging from 20 to 600° C., preferably between 50 and 350° C., at an absolute pressure ranging from 0.01 to 8 MPa, preferably between 0.01 and 1 MPa. A catalyst is regeneratable by introducing hydrogen at a temperature of 50-300° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for metathesis of one or several reagents comprising a linear or branched hydrocarbon chain containing a double olefinic bond Csp2?Csp2 consisting in reacting said reagent or reagents with a supported metal compound comprising an aluminum oxide-based support to which a tungsten hydride is grafted. Typically, each said reagent or reagents comprises from 2 to 30 carbon atoms. The reagent can be embodied in the form of olefin. The inventive method can be used, for example for producing propylene from ethylene and butane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing 2,3-dimethylbutane which comprises contacting in a reaction zone isobutane with a supported catalyst comprising a tungsten hydride and a support comprising an aluminium oxide, so as to form a reaction mixture comprising 2,3-dimethylbutane. The contacting essentially leads to performing a metathesis reaction of the isobutane, with a very high specificity in the formation of 2,3-dimethylbutane. The catalyst is preferably a tungsten hydride grafted onto a support based on aluminium oxide. The support can be chosen from aluminium oxides, mixed aluminium oxides and modified aluminium oxides. The reaction mixture can be isolated and preferably subjected to one or more fractionating operations in order to recover 2,3-dimethylbutane and optionally one or more other components of the reaction mixture, such as C5+ alkanes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing ethane comprising contacting methane with a metal catalyst selected from metal hydrides, metal organic compounds and mixtures thereof. It also relates to a process for the conversion of methane to carbon-containing products comprising contacting methane with a metal catalyst comprising at least one metal, Me, chosen from the lanthanides, the actinides and the metals from Groups 2 to 12 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, so as to produce ethane in a proportion of at least 65%, especially at least 98% or 99% by weight with respect to carbon-containing products formed in the process. The process can be a single-step process, preferably carried out under conditions involving a non-oxidative catalytic coupling of methane, in particular under operating conditions maintained substantially constant, preferably continuously, during the ethane production, e.g. at a temperature ranging from ?30° C. to +80° C., preferably from 20° C. to 500° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for metathesis of one or several reagents comprising a linear or branched hydrocarbon chain containing a double olefinic bond Csp2?Csp2 consisting in reacting said reagent or reagents with a supported metal compound comprising an aluminium oxide-based support to which a tungsten hydride is grafted. Typically, each said reagent or reagents comprises from 2 to 30 carbon atoms. The reagent can be embodied in the form of olefin. The inventive method can be used, for example for producing propylene from ethylene and butane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for converting ethylene into propylene consisting in reacting said ethylene with a supported metal compound comprising an aluminium oxide based support to which a tungsten hydride is grafted. Said reaction is carried out at a temperature ranging from 20 to 600° C., preferably between 50 and 350° C., at an absolute pressure ranging from 0.01 to 8 MPa, preferably between 0.01 and 1 MPa. A catalyst is regeneratable by introducing hydrogen at a temperature of 50-300° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of alkanes comprising a catalytic reaction resulting from contacting methane with at least one other starting alkane (I) in the presence of a metal compound (C) capable of catalysing a reaction for the splitting and/or recombination of a carbon-carbon bond and/or of a carbon-hydrogen bond and/or of a carbon-metal bond, which catalytic reaction results in the formation of at least one final alkane (II) having a number of carbon atoms equal to or greater than (2). In the process, the contacting operation is carried out under a methane partial pressure equal to or greater than 0.1 MPa, preferably in the range from 0.1 to 100 MPa. The metal compound (C) can be chosen from metal compounds supported on and dispersed over a solid support, metal compounds supported on and grafted to a solid support and non-supported metal compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a supported metal compound, comprising a support made from aluminium oxide to which a tungsten hydride is grafted. The support may be selected from the homogeneous supports with a composition based on aluminum oxide and from heterogeneous supports made from aluminium oxide with aluminum oxide essentially on the surface of said support. The support may in particular comprise aluminium oxide, mixed aluminium oxides and modified aluminium oxides particularly comprising one or more elements of groups 15 to 17 of the periodic table of the elements, such as phosphorus, sulphur, fluorine or chlorine. A support made from porous, non-porous or mesoporous aluminas is preferred. The degree of oxidation of the tungsten may have a value of from 2 to 6. The tungsten atom is generally bonded to one or several hydrogen atoms and optionally to one or several hydrocarbon groups.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hydrocarbons having a modified carbon skeleton by reacting aliphatic hydrocarbons a) with themselves, b) with another aliphatic hydrocarbon or c) with aromatic alkyl substituted hydrocarbons, in the presence of a metal organic catalyst or the hybrid thereof, at a temperature of between 20–400° C. and a pressure of between 0.2–100 bars, wherein the reaction takes place in the presence of hydrogen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing ethane comprising contacting methane with a metal catalyst selected from metal hydrides, metal organic compounds and mixtures thereof. It also relates to a process for the conversion of methane to carbon-containing products comprising contacting methane with a metal catalyst comprising at least one metal, Me, chosen from the lanthanides, the actinides and the metals from Groups 2 to 12 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, so as to produce ethane in a proportion of at least 65%, especially at least 98% or 99% by weight with respect to carbon-containing products formed in the process. The process can be a single-step process, preferably carried out under conditions involving a non-oxidative catalytic coupling of methane, in particular under operating conditions maintained substantially constant, preferably continuously, during the ethane production, e.g. at a temperature ranging from ?30° C. to +80° C., preferably from 20° C. to 500° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of alkanes comprising a catalytic reaction resulting from contacting methane with at least one other starting alkane (I) in the presence of a metal compound (C) capable of catalysing a reaction for the splitting and/or recombination of a carbon-carbon bond and/or of a carbon-hydrogen bond and/or of a carbon-metal bond, which catalytic reaction results in the formation of at least one final alkane (II) having a number of carbon atoms equal to or greater than (2). In the process, the contacting operation is carried out under a methane partial pressure equal to or greater than 0.1 MPa, preferably in the range from 0.1 to 100 MPa. The metal compound (C) can be chosen from metal compounds supported on and dispersed over a solid support, metal compounds supported on and grafted to a solid support and non-supported metal compounds.

Abstract: A method of controlling the molecular weight distribution of a polyalpha-olefin during polymerization, comprising changing the aluminoxane to chromium ratio of a polymerization catalyst comprising chromium and at least one aluminoxane to thereby adjust the molecular weight distribution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing alkanes, comprising, as main stage, a reaction resulting from bringing methane into contact with at least one other starting alkane (A) in the presence of a catalyst based on a metal M capable of catalyzing a metathesis of alkanes. The reaction results in the formation of at least one or two final alkanes (B) having a number of carbon atoms less than or equal to that of the starting alkane (A) and at least equal to 2. Preferably the catalyst comprises a hydride of a metal M grafted to and dispersed over a solid support. The metal M may be chosen from transition metals, lanthanides and actinides. The present invention also relates to the use of a catalyst capable of catalyzing a metathesis of alkanes in 3 reaction resulting from bringing methane into contact with at least one other starting alkane (A).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hydrocarbons having a modified carbon skeleton by reacting aliphatic hydrocarbons a) with themselves, b) with another aliphatic hydrocarbon or c) with aromatic alkyl substituted hydrocarbons, in the presence of a metal organic catalyst or the hybrid thereof, at a temperature of between 20-400° C. and a pressure of between 0.2-100 bars, wherein the reaction takes place in the presence of hydrogen.