Abstract: A method of improving the combustion of a fuel by adding a catalyst or combustion enhancer at an extremely low concentration, preferably in the range of 1 part catalyst per 200 million parts fuel to 1 part catalyst per 6 trillion parts fuel. The catalyst or combustion enhancer may be selected from a wide range of soluble compounds. The method may comprise the steps of an initial mixing of the catalyst or enhancer with a suitable solvent and then subsequent dilution steps using solvents or fuel. Suitable solvents include water, MTBE, methylketone, methyisobutylketone, butanol, isopropyl alcohol and other hydrophilic/oleophilic compounds.

Abstract: A fuel composition of the present invention exhibits minimized hydrolysis and increased fuel stability, even after extended storage at 65° F. for 6-9 months. The composition, which is preferably not strongly alkaline (3.0 to 10.5), is more preferably weakly alkaline to mildly acidic (4.5 to 8.5) and most preferably slightly acidic (6.3 to 6.8), includes a lower dialkyl carbonate, a combustion improving amount of at least one high heating combustible compound containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, boron, bromine, bismuth, beryllium, calcium, cesium, chromium, cobalt, copper, francium, gallium, germanium, iodine, iron, indium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, palladium, rubidium, sodium, tin, zinc, praseodymium, rhenium, silicon, vanadium, or mixture, and a hydrocarbon base fuel.

Abstract: This invention relates to diesel fuels which are useful with diesel engines equipped with exhaust system particulate traps. These fuels contain an effective amount of an organometallic complex to lower the ignition temperature of exhaust particles collected in the trap. The organometallic complex is soluble or stably dispersible in the diesel fuel and is derived from (i) an organic compound containing at least two functional groups attached to a hydrocarbon linkage, and (ii) a metal reactant capable of forming a complex with the organic compound (i), the metal being any metal capable of reducing the ignition temperature of the exhaust particles. The functional groups include .dbd.X, --XR, ##STR1## --CN, --N.dbd.NR and --N.dbd.CR.sub.2 ; wherein X is O or S, R is H or hydrocarbyl, R* is hydrocarbylene or hydrocarbylidene, and a is a number (e.g., zero to about 10). Useful metals include Na, K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, V, Cr, Mo, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, B, Pb, Sb, and mixtures of two or more thereof.