Abstract: This invention relates to processes and systems for converting acyclic hydrocarbons to alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics, for example converting acyclic C5 hydrocarbons to cyclopentadiene in a reactor system. The process includes heating an electrically-conductive reaction zone by applying an electrical current to the first electrically-conductive reaction zone; and contacting a feedstock comprising acyclic hydrocarbons with a catalyst material in the electrically-conductive reaction zone under reaction conditions to convert at least a portion of the acyclic hydrocarbons to an effluent comprising alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons, and/or aromatics.

Abstract: This invention relates to processes and systems for converting acyclic hydrocarbons to alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics, for example converting acyclic C5 hydrocarbons to cyclopentadiene in a reactor system. The process includes heating an electrically-conductive reaction zone by applying an electrical current to the first electrically-conductive reaction zone; and contacting a feedstock comprising acyclic hydrocarbons with a catalyst material in the electrically-conductive reaction zone under reaction conditions to convert at least a portion of the acyclic hydrocarbons to an effluent comprising alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons, and/or aromatics.

Abstract: Methods are provided for passivating and/or solubilizing crosslinked popcorn polymer formed from vinyl aromatic precursors. The passivation and/or solubilization can be performed by exposing the crosslinked popcorn polymer to an aromatics-containing solvent at a suitable temperature and/or by heat treating the crosslinked popcorn polymer in the presence of steam and oxygen followed by exposure to an aromatics-containing solvent. The vinyl aromatic polymer can be exposed to the aromatics-containing solvent for a suitable period of time at a temperature of 200° C. or more. Optionally, the aromatics-containing solvent can be at least partially in the liquid phase during the exposure of the vinyl aromatic polymer.

Abstract: This invention relates to processes and systems for converting acyclic hydrocarbons to alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics, for example converting acyclic C5 hydrocarbons to cyclopentadiene in a reactor system. The process includes contacting a feedstock comprising acyclic hydrocarbons with a catalyst material in at least one reaction zone to convert at least a portion of the acyclic hydrocarbons to a first effluent comprising alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics. A co-feed comprising H2, C1-C4 alkanes and/or C1-C4 alkenes may also be provided to the at least one reaction zone.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for producing purified aromatic esters useful as plasticizers, to the purified aromatic esters, and to polymer compositions containing the purified esters. The purified aromatic esters can be produced by esterifying carboxylic acid with methyl or ethyl alcohol, separating the resulting methyl or ethyl esters from the carboxylic acid and any byproduct impurities, and then transesterifying the methyl or ethyl esters with C4 to C14 alcohol to produce the purified aromatic esters. Additionally, precipitation, filtration, and wash steps can be employed to purify the carboxylic acid, the methyl or ethyl alcohol, and/or the aromatic esters.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for production of aromatic esters useful as plasticizers without using esterification catalyst, to the aromatic esters, and to polymer compositions containing the aromatic esters. It also relates to producing aromatic polyesters without using esterification catalyst. The aromatic esters and polyesters can be produced catalyst-free by esterifying carboxylic acids with alcohol(s) at high temperature and high pressure, namely at a temperature from 100° C. to 350° C. and a pressure ?100 psig, preferably ?600 psig. The aromatic esters and polyesters can also be produced by esterifying without esterification catalyst carboxylic acids with methyl or ethyl alcohol, separating the resulting methyl or ethyl esters from the carboxylic acid and any byproduct impurities, and then transesterifying with or without esterification catalyst the methyl or ethyl esters with alcohols and/or diols.

Abstract: This invention relates to processes and systems for converting acyclic hydrocarbons to alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics, for example converting acyclic C5 hydrocarbons to cyclopentadiene in a reactor system. The process includes contacting a feedstock comprising acyclic hydrocarbons with a catalyst material in at least one reaction zone to convert at least a portion of the acyclic hydrocarbons to a first effluent comprising alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics. A co-feed comprising H2, C1-C4 alkanes and/or C1-C4 alkenes may also be provided to the at least one reaction zone.

Abstract: This invention relates to processes and systems for converting acyclic hydrocarbons to alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics, for example converting acyclic C5 hydrocarbons to cyclopentadiene in a reactor system. The process includes contacting a feedstock comprising acyclic hydrocarbons with a catalyst material and an inert material to convert at least a portion of the acyclic hydrocarbons to a first effluent comprising alkenes, cyclic hydrocarbons and/or aromatics. In particular, the catalyst material and the inert material have a different average diameter and/or density providing varying fluidization behavior in the reactor.

Abstract: A catalyst for the conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons including aromatic hydrocarbons comprises molybdenum or a compound thereof dispersed on an aluminosilicate zeolite, wherein the amount of aluminum present as aluminum molybdate in the catalyst is less than 2700 ppm by weight.

Abstract: A catalyst system and processes for combined aromatization and selective hydrogen combustion of oxygenated hydrocarbons are disclosed. The catalyst system contains at least one aromatization component and at least one selective hydrogen combustion component. The process is such that the yield of hydrogen is less than the yield of hydrogen when contacting the hydrocarbons with the aromatization component alone.

Abstract: Processes for selectively alkylating and/or dealkylating one ring of cyclohexylbenzyl and/or biphenyl compounds are provided. Such selective alkylation and/or dealkylation takes place through a transalkylation reaction between the cyclohexylbenzyl compound and a substituted or unsubstituted benzene, which replaces the phenyl moiety of the cyclohexylbenzyl compound. The transalkylated cyclohexylbenzyl may be dehydrogenated to give a corresponding biphenyl compound. The same reaction steps can be utilized with respect to biphenyl compounds by first partially hydrogenating one phenyl ring of the biphenyl compound, thereby obtaining a corresponding cyclohexylbenzyl compound, which may undergo the transalkylation and, optionally, subsequent dehydrogenation.

Abstract: A catalyst system and processes for combined aromatization and selective hydrogen combustion of oxygenated hydrocarbons are disclosed. The catalyst system contains at least one aromatization component and at least one selective hydrogen combustion component. The process is such that the yield of hydrogen is less than the yield of hydrogen when contacting the hydrocarbons with the aromatization component alone.

Abstract: Processes for selectively alkylating and/or dealkylating one ring of cyclohexylbenzyl and/or biphenyl compounds are provided. Such selective alkylation and/or dealkylation takes place through a transalkylation reaction between the cyclohexylbenzyl compound and a substituted or unsubstituted benzene, which replaces the phenyl moiety of the cyclohexylbenzyl compound. The transalkylated cyclohexylbenzyl may be dehydrogenated to give a corresponding biphenyl compound. The same reaction steps can be utilized with respect to biphenyl compounds by first partially hydrogenating one phenyl ring of the biphenyl compound, thereby obtaining a corresponding cyclohexylbenzyl compound, which may undergo the transalkylation and, optionally, subsequent dehydrogenation.

Abstract: In a process for producing dialkylbiphenyl compounds, a feed comprising substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers having the formula (I): wherein each of R1 and R2 is an alkyl group and wherein the feed comprises m % by weight of isomers in which R1 is in the 2-position, based on the total weight of substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers in the feed; is transalkylated with a compound of formula (II): to produce a transalkylation product comprising substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers having the formula (I) and including n % by weight of isomers in which R1 is in the 2-position, based on the total weight of substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers in the transalkylation product, wherein n<m. At least part of the transalkylation product is then dehydrogenated under conditions effective to convert at least part of the substituted cyclohexylbenzene isomers in the transalkylation product to dialkylbiphenyl compounds.

Abstract: A process is described for converting at least one isomer of a dialkyl-substituted biphenyl compound, such as at least one 2,X? dialkylbiphenyl isomer (where X? is 2?, 3? and/or 4?), into at least one different isomer, 3,3?, 3,4? and/or 4,4? dialkylbiphenyl isomer. The process comprises contacting a feed comprising the dialkyl-substituted biphenyl compound isomer with an acid catalyst under isomerization conditions.

Abstract: In a process for dehydrogenating cyclohexylbenzene and/or alkyl-substituted cyclohexylbenzene compounds, a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising at least one Group 10 metal compound on a support is heated in the presence of hydrogen from a first temperature from 0° C. to 200° C. to a second, higher temperature from 60° C. to 500° C. at a ramp rate no more than 100° C./hour. The dehydrogenation catalyst is contacted with hydrogen at the second temperature for a time from 3 to 300 hours to produce an activated dehydrogenation catalyst. A feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene and/or an alkyl-substituted cyclohexylbenzene compound is then contacted with hydrogen in the presence of the activated dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising biphenyl and/or an alkyl-substituted biphenyl compound.

Abstract: This invention relates to process for producing biphenyl esters, the process comprising: (a) contacting a feed comprising toluene, xylene or mixtures thereof with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluene, wherein the hydroalkylation catalyst comprises: 1) binder present at 40 wt % or less (based upon weight of final catalyst composition), 2) a hydrogenation component present at 0.2 wt % or less (based upon weight of final catalyst composition), and 3) an acidic component comprising a molecular sieve having a twelve membered (or larger) ring pore opening, channel or pocket and a largest pore dimension of 6.

Abstract: In a process for producing biphenyl compounds, a Cn aromatic hydrocarbon may be hydroalkylated to give C2n cycloalkylaromatic compounds and byproduct Cn saturated cyclic hydrocarbons. The C2n cycloalkylaromatic compounds are dehydrogenated to provide the biphenyl compounds. The Cn saturated cyclic hydrocarbons may also be dehydrogenated back to the corresponding Cn aromatic hydrocarbon, which may be recycled to provide additional feed. Although both the intermediate C2n cycloalkylaromatic compounds and the byproduct Cn saturated cyclic hydrocarbons should be dehydrogenated, at least part of the dehydrogenation of the Cn saturated cyclic hydrocarbons should take place in the absence of C2n or greater hydrocarbons. Thus, dehydrogenation of the byproduct Cn saturated cyclic hydrocarbons should take place at least in part separately from dehydrogenation of the C2n cycloalkylaromatic compounds.

Abstract: In a process for producing a methyl-substituted biphenyl compound, at least one methyl-substituted cyclohexylbenzene compound of the formula: wherein each of m and n is independently an integer from 1 to 3, is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising at least one methyl-substituted biphenyl compound. The dehydrogenation catalyst comprises an element or compound thereof from Group 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements deposited on a refractory support, such as alumina.

Abstract: The invention relates to catalytic alkane dehydrogenation, to olefin produced by catalytic alkane dehydrogenation, and to processes, compositions, process configurations, equipment, and systems useful for carrying out catalytic alkane dehydrogenation. The catalytic alkane dehydrogenation is carried out in a substantially-isothermal reaction zone, which includes at least one active material having catalytic alkane dehydrogenation activity.