Abstract: The present invention is a process for converting methane to methanol, comprising: feeding methane and gaseous air or oxygen or gaseous air enriched with oxygen to a reactor under an elevated pressure; said reactor having an internal surface, made of silica or coated with silica, surrounding a zone in which said gases react; and reacting said gases in said reaction zone at an elevated temperature at conditions effective to produce methanol and for valuable oxygenates. Advantageously the internal surface is made of quartz or coated with quartz Advantageously the internal surface, made of silica (advantageously quartz) or coated with silica (advantageously quartz), is treated with HF before the conversion of methane to methanol. Advantageously the reaction is carried out in the absence in said reaction zone of any added material which measurably affects the rate of the reaction or the yield of the product. Advantageously the reactor is operated under a pressure from 1 to 7.5 MPa.

Abstract: The present invention provides a testing system allowing the simultaneous comparative evaluation of the behavior in a membrane process of two or more selected membranes (4). In a preferred embodiment said system allows the control of the hydrodynamics of the feeding liquid by means of stirrers (13).

Abstract: A method is provided for incorporating zeolite crystals in patterned structures, the zeolite crystals having pores (channels) with an orientation which is defined by the topology of the zeolite crystal type and the geometry of the patterned structure, resulting in pores parallel with the length axis of the patterned structures. The patterned structures may be vias (vertical contacts) and trenches (horizontal lines) in a semiconductor substrate. These zeolite crystals can advantageously be used for dense and aligned nanocarbon growth or in other words growth of carbon nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) within the pores of the zeolite structure. The growth of CNT is achieved within the porous structure of the zeolite crystals whereby the pores can be defined as confined spaces (channels) in nanometer dimensions acting as a micro-reactor for CNT growth.

Abstract: The invention relates to an intraluminal device, in particular an intraluminal prosthesis, shunt, catheter or local drug delivery device, provided with at least one coating containing a therapeutic agent comprised in a matrix which sticks to the intraluminal device, characterised in that said matrix is formed by a biocompatible oil or fat, which oil or fat is a chemically hardened oil or fat.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing secondary amides with good selectivity by carbonylating a corresponding tertiary amine with carbon monoxide in a reaction mixture in the presence of a metal catalyst and in the presence of a halogen containing promoter. The metal catalyst comprises palladium. A same or even a much better catalytic activity can be obtained with palladium than with the much more expensive rhodium, especially when the palladium is used in a low concentration. Moreover, also a good selectivity can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides zeolites and zeolite-like material having an enhanced microporosity. It was found that such zeolites can be obtained using a zeolite synthesis method comprising the preparation of a gel or solution for the synthesis of a zeolite, said gel or solution comprising appropriate amounts of (i) a conventional monomeric or polymeric silica source and (ii) a molecular template as a microstructuring agent, characterized in that said gel or solution further comprises an organosilane compound having limited self-assembling capacity.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to the production of oxygenated hydrocarbons such as lower alcohols and more preferably 1,2-propanediol. More particularly, this invention comprises a single-step catalytic process for the catalytic production of lower alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol and 1,2-propanediol from glycerol in aqueous medium. The catalyst comprises a metal selected from the Group VIII transition metals, preferably platinum, alloys thereof and mixtures thereof and a microporous carrier, preferably a faujasite-type zeolite.

Abstract: A silicate-based microporous ceramic molecular sieve membrane zeolite-like properties with an ordered stack of nanometre-sized slab-shaped building blocks having zeolite framework. A method for producing a membrane does not involve a hydrothermal treatment step, hence avoiding the formation of zeolite crystals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mixture (a) of fatty acid triglycerides having a slip melting point above 500 C, the fatty acid composition of said mixture (a) comprising at least two different fatty acids and comprising from 20 to 95% by weight of saturated fatty acids and 80 to 5% by weight of unsaturated fatty acids, and wherein at least one fatty acid triglyceride (a1) from said mixture (a) bears the same saturated fatty acid residue on each position of the glycerol moiety and corresponds to at least 10% by weight of said mixture (a). This mixture is useful in the coating of medical devices to improve bio-compatibility, stability, and drug release.

Abstract: A method is provided for incorporating zeolite crystals in patterned structures, the zeolite crystals having pores (channels) with an orientation which is defined by the topology of the zeolite crystal type and the geometry of the patterned structure, resulting in pores parallel with the length axis of the patterned structures. The patterned structures may be vias (vertical contacts) and trenches (horizontal lines) in a semiconductor substrate. These zeolite crystals can advantageously be used for dense and aligned nanocarbon growth or in other words growth of carbon nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) within the pores of the zeolite structure. The growth of CNT is achieved within the porous structure of the zeolite crystals whereby the pores can be defined as confined spaces (channels) in nanometer dimensions acting as a micro-reactor for CNT growth.

Abstract: A catalyst comprising a chiral transition metal-(1,2-bis(2,5-dialkylphospholano) complex immobilized on a specific zeolitic support useful for the hydrogenation of prochiral substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a testing system allowing the simultaneous comparative evaluation of the behaviour in a membrane process of two or more selected membranes (4). In a preferred embodiment said system allows the control of the hydrodynamics of the feeding liquid by means of stirrers (13).

Abstract: Membranes consisting of an elastomeric matrix with dispersed fillers are used in the pressure driven separation of liquid feeds. The fillers are selected in such a way that the interactions between the filler and the elastomer keep the membrane swelling limited, resulting in higher rejections.

Abstract: A catalyst comprising a chiral transition metal-(1,2-bis(2,5-dialkylphospholano) complex immobilised on a specific zeolitic support useful for the hydrogenation of prochiral substrates.

Abstract: The invention relates to an intraluminal device, in particular an intraluminal prosthesis, shunt, catheter or local drug delivery device, provided with at least one coating containing a therapeutic agent comprised in a matrix which sticks to the intraluminal device, characterised in that said matrix is formed by a biocompatible oil or fat, which oil or fat is a chemically hardened oil or fat.

Abstract: The invention relates to an intraluminal device, in particular an intraluminal prosthesis, shunt, catheter or local drug delivery device. In order to increase the bio-compatibility of this device, it is provided with at least one coating. The coating contains a therapeutic agent which is comprised in a matrix that sticks to the intraluminal device. Instead of being formed by a little bio-compatible polymer, the matrix is formed by a bio-compatible oil or fat, such as cod-liver oil or olive oil. Preferably, the bio-compatible oil or fat further comprises alfa-tocopherol.

Abstract: A novel process for the selective elimination of fatty acid compounds containing carbon-carbon double bonds in trans configuration from a substrate containing cis- and trans-isomers of said fatty acid compounds, by selective adsorption by a microporous zeolite material is disclosed. The pore size and shape of usable zeolite materials enable differentiation between cis- and trans-isomers of unsaturated fatty acid chains. The zeolite materials used have a selectivity ratio &agr;trans/cis higher than 1.00; this ratio is defined based on the elution properties of cis and trans double bond containing fatty acid methylesters dissolved in n-hexane during a column chromatography experiment with the zeolite material as the stationary phase and n-hexane as the mobile phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to a chiral solid catalyst containing a BEA topology zeolite and a metal-binap complex and to a process for the production of substantially enantiomerically pure products from prochiral starting material with the catalyst. The BEA topology zeolite may be a BETA zeolite, an acid BEA topology zeolite, an acid NU-2 zeolite, or an ammonium BEA topology zeolite. The metal in the metal-binap complex is ruthenium, iridium, nickel, or rhodium. The zeolite is normally impregnated with a solution of the metal-binap complex. The method is applicable to asymmetric hydrogenation of beta functionalized ketones, betaketoesters, functionalized olefins, and .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated functionalized olefins.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of 2-butene-1,4-diol comprising contacting a mixture of water and 1,2-epoxy-3-butene with a catalyst comprising a metal halide, zeolite and a non-protic solvent.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the isomerization of a vinyl glycol to an unsaturated diol in the presence of a rhenium-based catalyst; and to a catalyst for said isomerization. More specifically, this invention relates to the isomerization of 3-butene-1,2-diol to 2-butene-1,4-diol; and to a process for the manufacture of 1,4-butanediol involving the step of isomerizing 3-butene-1,2-diol to 2-butene-1,4-diol in the presence of said catalyst. The catalyst is characterized in that it comprises a transition metal on a carrier wherein the carrier is a zeolite Y type substance containing silicon and aluminum in a mole ratio of from about 1.5:1 to about 1000:1, and the transition metal is rhenium or a rhenium compound and mixtures thereof present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 50 weight percent based on total combined weight of the carrier and of the rhenium or rhenium compound and mixtures thereof.