Abstract: There is provided is a method for making a higher purity alcohol comprising: a) contacting an impure alcohol composition comprising: (i) an alcohol compound; and (ii) from about 50 ppm to about 5 weight percent, based on the weight of the impure alcohol composition, of at least one hydrogenable contaminant having an unsaturated bond, with hydrogen in a hydrogenation reactor and in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to produce a reaction mixture comprising the alcohol compound and a hydrogenated contaminant product wherein at least 10 mole % of the at least one hydrogenable contaminant in the reaction mixture is converted; and b) separating the alcohol compound from at least a portion of the reaction mixture to produce an enriched alcohol composition having a lower concentration of the hydrogenated contaminant product. There is also provided an alcohol composition having less than about 500 ppm of at least one hydrogenable contaminant.

Abstract: A catalyst and process for formation of hydrocarbons having carbon numbers of two or greater, the result of both oxidative coupling of methane (“OCM”), and other reforming reactions of OCM end products. An OCM catalyst has a structure represented by formula ABTiO3, wherein A is samarium or tin, B is barium; the reforming catalysts a composition represented by formula XYZ, wherein X is a metal from Group IA, Group IIA or Group VIIIA, or not present, Y a metal from Group VA, Group VIA, Group VIIA or Group VIIIA, Z chosen from oxygen, silica, silicalite and alumina. The inventive catalyst comprises an OCM catalyst and a reforming catalyst blended together; when used in a reactor effects an increased yield of hydrocarbons having a carbon number greater than 2 (in excess of 27%-30%, first pass rate of methane conversion about 50%) than occurs under OCM conditions alone.

Abstract: A process and catalyst for the partial oxidation of low molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbons, such as methane, ethane, propane, naphtha, and natural gas condensates to form alkenes, such as ethylene, propylene and other valuable by-products. The process involves contacting the low molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbon with the catalyst in the presence of oxygen or air and optionally steam. The catalyst has a perovskite-type crystalline structure, and lends itself to fixed and fluidized bed reactor configurations. The conversion process is less costly than conventional processes due to low pressure operation, the use of air and steam as a source of oxygen, and lower operating temperatures resulting in less coking, downtime, and reduced cost for materials of construction. Catalyst activity is extended and reactor downtime for catalyst regeneration is minimized by addition of chlorides and/or amines.