Abstract: A nickel/rhenium catalyst composition for the reductive amination of lower aliphatic alkane derivatives is described. The catalyst includes from about 2 to about 75 weight percent nickel and has a nickel to rhenium weight percent ratio of from about 1:1 to about 200:1. The nickel and rhenium are supported on an alumina-silica support which contains from about 5 to about 65 weight percent silica and has a BET surface area of from about 30 to about 450 m2/g. A process for the reductive amination of lower aliphatic alkane derivatives using such a catalyst composition is also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates in part to a processes for the conversion of a feedstock stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a product stream comprising at least one of an ester, acid, acid anhydride and mixtures thereof. This invention also relates in part to processes for converting an alcohol and/or ether feedstock to oxygenated products, e.g., esters, acids, acid anhydrides and mixtures thereof. The processes and catalysts are especially suitable for the production of acetic acid and methyl acetate from a synthesis gas feedstock or from an alcohol and/or ether feedstock.

Abstract: This invention relates in part to a processes and catalysts for the conversion of a feedstock comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a product stream comprising at least one of an ester, acid, acid anhydride and mixtures thereof. This invention also relates in part to processes and catalysts for converting an alcohol, ether and/or ether alcohol feedstock to oxygenated products, e.g., esters, acids, acid anhydrides and mixtures thereof. The processes and catalysts are especially suitable for the production of acetic acid and methyl acetate from a synthesis gas feedstock or from an alcohol, ether or ether alcohol feedstock.

Abstract: This invention relates in part to a processes and catalysts for the conversion of a feedstock comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a product stream comprising at least one of an ester, acid, acid anhydride and mixtures thereof. This invention also relates in part to processes and catalysts for converting an alcohol, ether and/or ether alcohol feedstock to oxygenated products, e.g., esters, acids, acid anhydrides and mixtures thereof. The processes and catalysts are especially suitable for the production of acetic acid and methyl acetate from a synthesis gas feedstock or from an alcohol, ether or ether alcohol feedstock.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing improved catalysts for the production of alkenyl alkanoates by the reaction of an alkene, an alkanoic acid and an oxygen-containing gas. The catalysts contain palladium, gold and a potassium promoter and are characterized by a reduced sodium content which results in increased catalyst activity. The reduced sodium content is obtained by washing the catalyst, at a particular intermediate point in its production, with a cation exchange solution.

Abstract: A shell impregnated catalyst for use in the production of vinyl acetate from ethylene, acetic acid and an oxygen containing gas is provided. The catalyst has a productivity of greater than 661 grams of vinyl acetate per hour per liter of catalyst at 150.degree. C. and consists essentially of:(1) a catalyst support having a particle diameter from about 3 to about 7 mm and a pore volume of 0.2 to 1.5 ml per gram(2) palladium and gold distributed in the outermost 1.0 mm thick layer of the catalyst support particles, and(3) from about 3.5 to 9.5% by weight of potassium acetate.The catalyst is characterised by having a gold to palladium weight ratio in the range 0.60 to 1.25.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing improved catalysts for the production of alkenyl alkanoates by the reaction of an alkene, an alkanoic acid and an oxygen-containing gas. The catalysts contain palladium, gold and a potassium promoter and are characterized by a reduced sodium content which results in increased catalyst activity. The reduced sodium content is obtained by washing the catalyst with water or with an aqueous solution of a potassium promoter after it has been impregnated with a potassium promoter.

Abstract: A shell impregnated catalyst for use in the production of vinyl acetate from ethylene, acetic acid and an oxygen containing gas is provided. The catalyst has a productivity of greater than 661 grams of vinyl acetate per hour per liter of catalyst at 150.degree. C. and consists essentially of:(1) a catalyst support having a particle diameter from about 3 to about 7 mm and a pore volume of 0.2 to 1.5 ml per gram(2) palladium and gold distributed in the outermost 1.0 mm thick layer of the catalyst support particles, and(3) from about 3.5 to 9.5% by weight of potassium acetate.The catalyst is characterized by having a gold to palladium weight ratio in the range 0.60 to 1.25.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing improved catalysts for the production of alkenyl alkanoates by the reaction of an alkene, an alkanoic acid and an oxygen-containing gas. The catalysts contain palladium, gold and a potassium promoter and are characterized by a reduced sodium content which results in increased catalyst activity. The reduced sodium content is obtained by using essentially sodium-free starting materials in the process for producing the catalysts.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing improved catalysts for the production of alkenyl alkanoates by the reaction of an alkene, an alkanoic acid and an oxygen-containing gas. The catalysts contain palladium, gold and a potassium promoter and are characterized by a reduced sodium content which results in increased catalyst activity. The reduced sodium content is obtained by washing the catalyst, at a particular intermediate point in its production, with a cation exchange solution.

Abstract: A process for the dimerization of propylene or a C.sub.4 olefin or the codimerization of ethylene with propylene or a C.sub.4 olefin comprising passing the olefin(s) in contact with a catalyst comprising (a) elemental potassium and (b) elemental copper, and (c) an alpha-alumina support therefor, wherein:(i) the potassium is present in the catalyst in an amount in the range of about 0.25 to about 30 percent by weight based on the weight of the catalyst;(ii) the ratio of copper to potassium, by weight, is in the range of about 0.1 to one to about 5 to one; and(iii) the process is carried out at a temperature in the range of about 75.degree. C. to about 225.degree. C. and at a pressure in the range of about atmospheric pressure to about 10,000 psig.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the vapor phase catalytic hydrogenation of at least one of di(lower alkyl) oxalate and lower alkyl glycolate in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising a carrier, which catalyst is suitable for the hydrogenation of alkyl oxalate and alkyl glycolate to ethylene glycol, wherein the improvement lies in preparing the catalyst by contacting the carrier with a cooper ammonium carbonate complex medium and reducing the catalytically-active copper moiety to its active copper form.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for selectively cleaving a polyalkylene glycol, e.g., diethylene glycol, containing at least one ether group therein at a carbon-to-oxygen covalent bond and independently at a carbon-to-carbon covalent bond by heating the polyalkylene glycol with molecular hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst containing ruthenium to produce at least one of monoethylene glycol monomethyl ether, monoethylene glycol and ethanol. The production rate of each of said monoethylene glycol monomethyl ether, monoethylene glycol and ethanol is at least about 10 moles/kilogram ruthenium/hour.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for selectively cleaving a polyalkylene glycol, e.g., diethylene glycol, containing at least one ether group therein at a carbon-to-oxygen covalent bond and independently at a carbon-to-carbon covalent bond by heating the polyalkylene glycol with molecular hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst containing iridium to produce at least one of monoethylene glycol monoethyl ether, monoethylene glycol monomethyl ether, monoethylene glycol and ethanol. Monoethylene glycol monoethyl ether can be produced in significant amounts by employing the process of this invention.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the catalytic hydrogenation of at least one of di(lower alkyl) oxalate and lower alkyl glycolate in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising a carrier, which catalyst is suitable for the hydrogenation of alkyl oxalate and alkyl glycolate to ethylene glycol, wherein the carrier has a leachable iron content not greater than about 0.03%, by weight of the carrier.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the vapor phase catalytic hydrogenation of at least one of di(lower alkyl) oxalate and lower alkyl glycolate in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising a carrier, which catalyst is suitable for the hydrogenation of alkyl oxalate and alkyl glycolate to ethylene glycol, the improvement lies within the preparation of the catalyst by employment of catalysts comprising carriers having specific ranges of physical parameters, including average pore diameter and pore volume, which parameters are interrelated by a relative activity index.

Abstract: A process for selectively preparing a mixture of two-carbon atom oxygenated hydrocarbons, namely, acetic acid, ethanol and acetaldehyde, by continuously contacting a gaseous reaction mixture containing hydrogen and carbom monoxide with a solid catalyst comprising rhodium in combination with sodium at reaction conditions correlated so as to favor the formation of a substantial proportion of such two-carbon atom products.

Abstract: A process for selectively preparing a mixture of two-carbon atom oxygenated hydrocarbons, namely, acetic acid, ethanol and acetaldehyde, by continuously contacting a gaseous reaction mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a solid catalyst comprising rhodium in combination with sodium at reaction conditions correlated so as to favor the formation of a substantial proportion of such two-carbon atom products.

Abstract: Lanthanum rhodate, or metal substituted lanthanum rhodate, having a perovskite structure is a highly active catalyst for the production of methanol from hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The lanthanum rhodate displays excellent stability and excellent selectivity to methanol.

Abstract: A heterogeneous process for selectively producing monoamines in which the nitrogen is bonded only to methyl, ethyl, hydrogen or combinations thereof which comprises contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, nitric oxide and mixtures thereof with a heterogeneous solid catalyst comprising rhodium and iron. The monoamines of the invention are formed in a collective amount of at least 50 weight percent of the total amine products of the reaction.