This invention relates to a method for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethyl esters of carboxylic acids. Said method consists of treating the biomass material with an oxidizing agent that is incorporated in an solution comprising one or more acids, one or more alcohols and water, and subsequently performing a catalytic reaction at a higher temperature using the same acidic solution into which a larger volume of alcohol is added, in such a way that the catalytic conversion occurs in a medium with a much higher concentration of alcohol, i.e. with a much higher alcohol-to-water wt ratio. Such a method results in relatively high yields of ethyl esters, such as ethyl esters of formic, acetic, and levulinic acids, while producing a low yield of dialkyl ethers, which are unwanted by-products. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the pre-treatment step is preferably higher than 6.0 wt %. The oxidizing agent is preferably a Fenton or Fenton-type reagent, and most preferably hydrogen peroxide activated by Fe (II), and/or Ti (IV) ions. The alcohol is preferably ethanol, and when ethanol is used, diethyl ether is formed as the unwanted dialkyl ether by-product. Preferably, the biomass material is pelleted before treatment.

Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed in which the hydrocarbon reactant and a supported transition metal catalyst—containing molybdenum, tungsten, or vanadium—are irradiated with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum, optionally in an oxidizing atmosphere, to form a reduced transition metal catalyst, followed by hydrolyzing the reduced transition metal catalyst to form a reaction product containing the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound.

Processes for converting a hydrocarbon reactant into an alcohol compound and/or a carbonyl compound are disclosed in which the hydrocarbon reactant and a supported transition metal catalyst—containing molybdenum, tungsten, or vanadium—are irradiated with a light beam at a wavelength in the UV-visible spectrum, optionally in an oxidizing atmosphere, to form a reduced transition metal catalyst, followed by hydrolyzing the reduced transition metal catalyst to form a reaction product containing the alcohol compound and/or the carbonyl compound.

The invention relates to a method for producing a formate, the method including a first step of reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide, a hydrogen carbonate or a carbonate using a catalyst in the presence of a solvent to form a formate in the reaction liquid, wherein the reaction is a two-phase system in which an organic phase and an aqueous phase are present in a separated state in the solvent, and a base concentration in the reaction is 2.5 mol/L or more.

The invention relates to a method for producing a formate, the method including a first step of reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide, a hydrogen carbonate or a carbonate using a catalyst in the presence of a solvent to form a formate in the reaction liquid, wherein the reaction is a two-phase system in which an organic phase and an aqueous phase are present in a separated state in the solvent, and a base concentration in the reaction is 2.5 mol/L or more.

The invention relates to a method for producing a formate, the method including reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide, a hydrogen carbonate or a carbonate using a catalyst in the presence of a solvent, wherein the reaction is a two-phase system in which an organic solvent and an aqueous solvent are present in a separated state in the solvent, and the catalyst is at least one selected from a ruthenium complex represented by the formula (1) in the specification, a tautomer or stereoisomer thereof, and a salt compound of the complex, tautomer or stereoisomer.

The invention relates to a method for producing a formate, the method including reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide, a hydrogen carbonate or a carbonate using a catalyst in the presence of a solvent, wherein the reaction is a two-phase system in which an organic solvent and an aqueous solvent are present in a separated state in the solvent, and the catalyst is at least one selected from a ruthenium complex represented by the formula (1) in the specification, a tautomer or stereoisomer thereof, and a salt compound of the complex, tautomer or stereoisomer.

A process for oxidizing an alkyl substrate may comprise combining an alkyl substrate (e.g., propane, n-butane) and ozone in a liquid phase medium comprising a branched alkane activator (e.g., isobutane) and a protic additive (e.g., water) under conditions sufficient to oxidize the alkyl substrate to products. The alkyl substrate may be selected from linear and cyclic alkanes.

A process for oxidizing an alkyl substrate may comprise combining an alkyl substrate (e.g., propane, n-butane) and ozone in a liquid phase medium comprising a branched alkane activator (e.g., isobutane) and a protic additive (e.g., water) under conditions sufficient to oxidize the alkyl substrate to products. The alkyl substrate may be selected from linear and cyclic alkanes.

Disclosed herein is a method for selectively reducing, using electrical energy, CO.sub.2 to carbon monoxide, a catalyst for use in the method, and an electrochemical reduction system. The method for producing carbon monoxide by electrochemically reducing carbon dioxide of the present invention includes (a) reacting carbon dioxide with a metal complex represented by formula (1), and (b) applying a voltage to a reaction product of the carbon dioxide and the metal complex represented by formula (1):

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