Abstract: A method for a gas phase catalytic oxidation reaction of a hydrocarbon, which comprises: subjecting an alkane having a carbon number ranging from 3 to 8 and/or an alkene having a carbon number ranging from 2 to 8 to a gas phase catalytic oxidation reaction to produce a vapor phase oxidation product in the presence of a mixed metal oxide catalyst, wherein the reacion is conducted in the presence of particles substantially inert to the reaction in an amount within a range of the same amount as the amount of catalyst to 99 wt. % in all particles.

Abstract: In a method for treating a combustion exhaust gas from a waste burning facility, the exhaust gas has its temperature lowered to 180-230.degree. C., in a temperature lowering unit, is freed of dust in a dry dust collector, passed through a dioxin and NOx removing unit using a vanadium oxide-based catalyst and, thereafter, the exhaust gas at 180-230.degree. C. is further passed through a heat exchanger to effect heat recovery. The vanadium oxide-based catalyst is a vanadium oxide alone or the combination thereof either with an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tin, yttrium, boron and lead or with gold. In addition, a tungsten oxide may be used. These catalysts are preferably carried on titania for use. The method and an apparatus for implementing it require a simple system configuration and yet assure high thermal efficiency while achieving efficient removal of dioxins and nitrogen oxides.

Abstract: An oxide catalyst for producing maleic anhydride by vapor phase oxidation of a hydrocarbon having 4 carbon atoms, obtainable by (1) reacting a pentavalent vanadium compound and a pentavalent phosphorus compound in an organic solvent in the presence of a reducing agent capable of reducing the pentavalent vanadium to the tetravalent state to produce the crystalline composite oxide particles containing tetravalent vanadium and pentavalent phosphorus, (2) dry-pulverizing the obtained crystalline composite oxide particles in a high-speed gas flow, (3) mixing the pulverized particles with an aqueous solution containing tetravalent vanadium and pentavalent phosphorus to form a slurry, and (4) spray-drying the slurry and then calcining.

Abstract: Diacetoxybutane is prepared by a process for hydrogenating diacetoxybutene in the presence of a supported hydrogenation catalyst comprising catalytically reacting diacetoxybutene with hydrogen continuously in an insulation reaction apparatus utilizing a fixed-bed of said hydrogenation catalyst, withdrawing the reaction effluent continuously from said reaction apparatus, circulating at least a part of said reaction effluent to said reaction apparatus while controlling the temperature of influx of said reaction apparatus at a temperature lower than the temperature of efflux from said reaction apparatus by 5.degree. to 100.degree. C.

Abstract: A process is disclosed in which hydrolysis and cyclization of an acetate ester of a 1,4-diol are carried out in separate reaction zones in the pressure of a solid acid catalyst and unreacted acetate ester recovered from each of the reaction zones is supplied to another zone thereby producing a hydrofuran and a 1,4-diol in any proportion.

Abstract: In the process for preparing tetrahydrofuran by the dehydrocyclization of 1,4-butanediol in the presence of a non-volatile acid catalyst, wherein vapor mixture of water and tetrahydrofuran is continuously taken out from the reaction zone and subjected to the azeotropic distillation in three distillation columns operated under specified conditions thereby obtaining tetrahydrofuran of high quality in a high yield.

Abstract: Butanediol and/or butenediol are prepared by hydrolyzing diacetoxybutane and/or diacetoxybutene in the presence of a cation-exchange resin and recovered by fractional distillation. By the treatment of the hydrolyzed product with an anion exchange resin at any stage before the butanediol and/or butenediol are fractionated, butanediol and/or butenediol are recovered in high yield.

Abstract: A fractional distillation method of separating diacetoxybutene isomers from a reaction mixture produced from the reaction of butadiene, acetic acid and molecular oxygen comprises employing a series of at least two distillation towers, one of said towers being used for distillation of water and acetic acid under a pressure of 30 - 250 Torr and a tower bottom temperature of 190.degree. - 120.degree. C and the other being used for separation of high boiling point materials under a pressure of 2 - 100 Torr and a tower bottom temperature of 190.degree. - 120.degree. C, the temperature of all tower bottoms being from 190.degree. - 120.degree. C.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing diacetoxybutane diol by hydrogenating diacetoxybutene in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst in which the hydrogenation is carried out in two stages within predetermined temperature ranges, the temperature of the second stage is higher than that of first thereby obtaining the product in high selectivity with high conversion, and a process for producing butanediol by hydrolyzing the diacetoxybutane thus obtained in the presence of a solid acid catalyst.