Abstract: An improved method for desulfurizing a fuel stream such as a diesel stream is disclosed which includes generation of a sulfone oil, the desulfurization of the sulfone oil and the recycling of the resulting biphenyl-rich stream and ultra-low sulfur diesel streams. The method includes combining a thiophene-rich diesel stream with an oxidant to oxidize the thiophenes to sulfones to provide a sulfone-rich diesel stream. Sulfone oil is extracted from the sulfone-rich diesel stream to provide sulfone oil and a first low-sulfur diesel stream The low-sulfur diesel stream is recycled. The sulfone-rich oil stream is combined with an aqueous oxidant-containing stream, such as caustic stream, which oxidizes the sulfones to biphenyls and forms sulfite to provide a second low-sulfur diesel stream.

Abstract: An improved method for desulfurizing a fuel stream such as a diesel stream is disclosed which includes generation of a sulfone oil, the desulfurization of the sulfone oil and the recycling of the resulting biphenyl-rich stream and ultra-low sulfur diesel streams. The method includes combining a thiophene-rich diesel stream with an oxidant to oxidize the thiophenes to sulfones to provide a sulfone-rich diesel stream. Sulfone oil is extracted from the sulfone-rich diesel stream to provide sulfone oil and a first low-sulfur diesel stream The low-sulfur diesel stream is recycled.

Abstract: A process for the direct carbonylation of saturated hydrocarbons has been developed. The process involves contacting the saturated hydrocarbons, which contain at least one primary, secondary or tertiary carbon atom, with carbon monoxide in the presence of a solid strong acid catalyst to produce an oxygenated saturated hydrocarbon. In a specific embodiment isobutane is reacted with carbon monoxide using sulfated zirconia as the catalyst to produce methylisopropyl ketone. The oxygenated hydrocarbon can subsequently be hydrogenated to give a reduced oxygenated saturated hydrocarbon. The hydrogenation can also be done simultaneously with the carbonylation, i.e., reductive carbonylation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a layered catalyst composition, a process for preparing the composition and processes for using the composition. The catalyst composition comprises an inner core such as alpha-alumina, and an outer layer bonded to the inner core composed of an outer refractory inorganic oxide such as gamma-alumina. The outer layer has uniformly dispersed thereon a platinum group metal such as platinum and a promoter metal such as tin. The composition also contains a modifier metal such as lithium. The catalyst composition shows improved durability and selectivity for dehydrogenating hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Propylamines are dehydrocyclized by non-acidic molecular sieves containing a Group VIII zerovalent metal to afford azacycloheptanes with good selectivity. The molecular sieves show less than 5% activity in a standard heptene-1 isomerization test. Performing the reaction in the presence of hydrogen and/or ammonia often is beneficial.