Patent report Catalytic reduction of NO, in waste gases K. Yokota; M. Fukui; M. Taki et al. Toyoda Choo Kenkyusho K.K. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 95,246,318, Sept. 26, 1995; Appl. Mar. 11,1994 Waste gases containing NO, are reduced by H over catalysts comprising porous supports having a zeolite structure with SiO,/AI,O, mol ratio lo-20 and >O.l% F’t. NO_ is efficientlv re- duced at iow temperature with a low amount of H, and’ the process is suitable for gases discharged from internal combus- tion engines, boilers, stoves, etc., especially diesel exhaust gases. Control of exhaust emissions from methane-fueled in- ternal combustion engines J.G. Hansel; S.V. Raman; J.L. Stolz et al. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. U.S. 5,451,385, Sept. 19, 1995; Appl. Aug. 1, 1991 Cont.-in-part of U.S. 5,260,043 NO, and CO are removed from the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine that operates on a CH,-containing fuel by reacting the CO, NO, and 0, in the exhaust with CH, in the presence of a crystalline zeolite catalyst having a Si/AI ratio 2 2.5 that is exchanged with a cation selected from Co, Ni, Fe, Cr, Rh, Ga, and Mn. CH, for the reaction is provided as a portion of the CH,-containing fuel. CATALYSIS Process for the manufacture of lower olefins by catalytic conversion Z. Li; C. Xie; W. Shi et al. China Petrochemical Corp.; Research Institute of Petroleum Pro- cessing ‘Sinopec” PCT Int. Appl. 95,12,562, May 11, 1995; Chinese Appl. Nov. 5, 1993 A highly productive process for manufacturing lower olefins, especially propylene, isobutylene and isoamylene, and high oc- tane gasoline through catalytic conversion comprises contact- ing petroleum hydrocarbons with a solid catalyst for 0.1-6 s at 480-680°C and (1.2-4.0) x IO5 Pa and catalyst-to-oil ratio of 4-20. The solid catalyst comprises P and a rare-earth-containing high silica zeolite with the structure of a pentasil. Preparation of carbonate esters K. Ishichi; Y. Yamazaki Ube lnsustries Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 95,238,062, Sept. 12, 1995; Appl. Feb. 25, 1994 Carbonate esters are prepared by treating nitrite esters with CO in the gas phase in the presence of Pt group metal and alkali and/or alkaline earth metal ion-exchanged zeolite catalysts con- taining H at atomic ratio of AI/H 0.1-0.6, and compounds of Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Mg, and/or K. Preparation of I-bromo-3,5-difluorobenzene M. Neuber; E.I. Leupold; H. Litterer Hoechst A.-G. Ger. Offen. 4,334,437, Apr. 13, 1995; Appl. Oct. 8, 1993 1-Bromo-3,5-difluorobenzene was prepared by isomerization of I-bromo-2,4-difluorobenzene or a mixture of the latter and l- bromo-2,6-difluorobenzene on pentasil-type zeolites, for ex- ample, zeolite HZSM-5 (SiO,/AI,O, = 27:l). Preparation of dialkylnaphthalenes from alkylbenzenes M. Abe; T. Shimizu Cosmo Sogo Kenkyusho K.K.; Cosmo Oil Co. Ltd. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 95,233,101, Sept. 5, 1995; Appl. Feb. 22, 1994 Dialkylnaphthalenes, useful as materials for polymers, are pre- pared by treatment of alkylbenzenes with crystalline alumino- silicate zeolites. Methane combustion catalysts M. Niwa; T. Nakatsuji Sakai Chemical Industry Co. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 95,241,470, Sept. 19, 1995; Appl. Mar. 1, 1994 Methane combustion catalysts comprise zeolites having SiOd A&O, mol ratio 2 15 loaded with Pd by ion exchange. The cata- lysts are especially suitable for the catalytic combustion of natu- ral gases. Removal of NO, from oxygen-containing exhaust gas by catalytic reduction N. Nakatani; J. Ozeki; H. Kato Toray Industries Inc. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 95,232,035, Sept. 5, 1995; Appl. Feb. 21, 1994 A first catalyst part prepared by impregnating metal(s) selected from Pt group metals, group IB metals, V, Mn, Cr, Fe, Co, and Ni in a carrier selected from AI,O,, SiO,, TiO,, ZrO,, SiO,-AI,O,, and zeolite is arranged at the upstream end of an exhaust gas flow while a second catalyst part comprising a zeolite catalyst containing Cu, Co, In, Ga, and/or H ion is arranged at the down- stream end, and hydrocarbon is added to the exhaust gas be- tween the first and second catalyst parts. The catalysts have high resistance to S oxides, and NO, is effectively removed even when the space velocity of the exhaust gas is high. Preparation of isopropyl alcohol and ether from acetone Texaco Development Corp. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 95,252,173, Oct. 3, 1995; U.S. Appl. Jan. 28, 1994 Isopropyl alcohol and ether, useful as gasoline additives, are prepared from acetone in the presence of hydrogenation/ etherification catalysts. Thus, treatment of acetone with hydro- gen over a copper/nickel catalyst on 8-zeolite and alumina at 163°C for 53 h gave a product containing 49.2% isopropyl alco- hol and 17.2% diisopropyl ether. Preparation of ethylbenzene or pxylene T. Shimizu; M. Abe Cosmo Sogo Kenkyusho K.K.; Cosmo Oil Co. Ltd. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 95,252,170, Oct. 3, 1995; Appl. Mar. 11, 1994 Ethylbenzene or pxylene is prepared by heating C,H, using or- ganosilane-treated zeolite catalysts. SEPARATION PROCESSES Pressure swing adsorption process for separation and recovery of methyl chloride from streams containing isobutane AS. Zarchy; R.T. Maurer; CC. Chao UOP Inc. U.S. 5.453.113, Sept. 26, 1995; Appl. Apr. 11, 1994 A tail gas stream enriched in MeCl is recovered from a mixture of MeCl with isobutane by a pressure swing adsorption process using a size-selective adsorbent having pore openings 3.7 x 3.7 A to 4.9 x 5.7 A, such as zeolite A, or clinoptilolite. The process may be used in applications such as treating the vent gas streams from the direct synthesis of methylchlorosilanes from silicone. It is an economical route to recovering a valuable raw material and reduces the volume and MeCl content of the vent stream that typically is incinerated to avoid the release of halo- genated hydrocarbons to the atmosphere. Adsorbents for oxygen enrichment H. Sakuma; W. lnaoka Tosoh Corp. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho 95265,695, Oct. 17, 1995; Appl. Mar. 29, 1994 Adsorbents for oxygen enrichment are composed of A (3g-70 wt%) and X zeolites with 250% of the cation sites exchanged by Ca. They are used for the separation of 0, from N, at O-50°C. Zeolites 18:84-88, 1997 85