With the use of bibliographic databases CAPlus, Scopus, RISC, and RJ VINITI, bibliometric and thematic indicators of the journal «Catalysis in Industry» were analyzed.

The review analyzes possible (including catalytic) processes for the synthesis of cis-methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride (cis-MTGFA) – a curing agent for epoxy resins. It is concluded that the most promising industrial method of producing cis-MTGFA is its synthesis from isoprene and maleic anhydride by the Diels – Alder reaction. It is noted that for the industrial production of cis-MTGFA, Russia needs to establish domestic production of maleic anhydride. 

Catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene is studied using palladium catalysts in supercritical CO2, in a conventional solvent (isopropanol), and without a solvent. The reaction conditions in CO2 were as follows: temperature of 90 °С, nitrobenzene weight of 2,4 g, catalyst weight of 0,1 g, partial pressure of hydrogen of 5 MPa, and partial pressure of carbon dioxide of 20 MPa. The hydrogenation of nitrobenzene was shown to accelerate in CO2. The rate of formation of the target product – aniline – was shown to be 3,5–5 times higher in CO2 than in isopropanol or without a solvent. The selectivity in this case was 92–95 %. 

Naphthenic acids were synthezised by liquid-phase oxidation of a naphthene-isoparaffin concentrate derived from the diesel fraction of Baku oils in the presence of catalysts based on pentanuclear complexes of Co, Ni, and their mixtures with chromium naphthenate. The crystal surface of the nickel complex was studied using scanning microscopy. Physicochemical properties of the feedstock and naphthenic concentrate were characterized. The yield of naphthenic acids was studied in dependence on the catalyst composition. Oxidation of naphthenic concentrate was conducted for 5 h in a bubble type reactor at 110–150 °C with the air feed of 300 L/h and the concentration of catalyst of 0,08–0,20 wt.% with respect to the feed. It was found that complexes of Co and Ni differ in their effect on the yield and quality of synthetic naphthenic acids (SNA). In the presence of Co complexes, the yield of SNA achieved 27,4 %, while the yield of SNA at the same concentration of Ni complexes was 16 %, which is close to the result obtained with Cr naphthenate (17 %). However, in the presence of Cr naphthenate, the yield of oxy-nafthenic acids (byproduct) is twice higher than their yield in the presence of the complex of Ni. The use of pentanuclear complexes of Ni and Co makes it possible to increase the yield of naphthenic acids (by 6–7 % compared with conventional methods), to reduce the consumption of catalyst, and to increase the acid number of the oxidate.

Catalytic systems based on a copper-zinc catalyst (methanol synthesis) and HZSM-5 zeolites (dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether (DME)) were studied as catalysts for direct production of DME from syngas. Nitrogen adsorption, temperature-programmed desorption of NH3, and IR spectroscopy were used to characterize zeolitic catalysts with the silica modulus from 20 to 200. The catalytic performance of mixed catalysts in the synthesis of DME from syngas were studied in a high-pressure flow type reactor. Test conditions were: temperature 473–553 K, pressure of 3 MPa, the feed flow rate of 48 mL/min with the ratio H2/CO = 2. The catalyst activity was studied in dependence on the acidity and degree of crystallinity of the zeolite — the characteristics determined by its silica module. The highest yield of DME (39 vol.%) was obtained using a HZSM-5 catalyst with a silica module of 30 at a temperature of 493 K. The results provide a basis for creating highly active bifunctional catalysts for the synthesis of DME from synthesis gas. 

Multicomponent and multiphase oxide catalysts with uniform composition Mo1V0,3Te0,23Nb12 but different phase content has been studied in oxidative ethane conversion to ethylene and characterized using X-ray analysis. Phase composition of the samples was varied by modifying preparation conditions, viz different pH and method of drying of wet precursor as well as calcination of solid one, the content of separated phase was define by Rietveld method. It has been found that in oxidative conversion of ethane catalytic properties of oxide samples are determined by the content of orthorhombic M1 phase with layered structure and composition (TeO)0,23(Mo,V,Nb)5O14.

 Hydrocracking of a goudron mixture from Baku oils was studied at low pressure in the presence of a suspended nanosized catalyst to increase the amount of light oil and to advance the oil refining. Kaolinite was used as a catalyst in an amount of 1,0–2,5 % by weight of the goudron. The effect of temperature and pressure on the reaction yield was studied. It was shown that with an increase in temperature from 400 to 450 °C (pressure 0,5 MPa), the yield of light oil increased from 35 to 61 wt.%. An increase in pressure from 0,5 to 6,0 MPa led to an increase in the yield of light oil from 47,0 to 58,8 wt.%. Nanoscale catalyst systems demonstrated the advantage over supported catalysts in the possibility of a more efficient processing of raw materials of very low quality under milder conditions, which indicates the economic profitability of the proposed process.

A composite of alumina and nickel-containing highly porous permeable cellular material (HPCM) was used as a support. The influence of morphological, textural, and acid characteristics of the support on the activity and electronic and geometric properties of palladium particles supported on the composite was studied in the selective hydrogenation of acetylene. It has been established that, in comparison with conventional catalysts supported on δ-Al2O3, the support δ-Al2O3/Ni-HPCM provides a more uniform distribution of the charge state of the active component — palladium particles with surface atoms having higher electron density on the valence orbitals. Such a state of the active component provides high selectivity toward ethylene (78,3 %) in the ethane-ethylene fraction, which is 35,7 % higher than the selectivity obtained with the conventional catalyst (supported on δ-Al2O3).

In order to develop new catalytic composite materials for hydrogen storage based on organic chemical compounds, the comparative tests of the activity of various catalysts (on the basis of Pt, Pd, Cr and Ni) were carried out in the dehydrogenation reaction of perhydro-m-terphenyl. Tests were carried out at temperatures 300–320 °C in the flow reactor (internal diameter of 10 mm). The control of volumes of evolved hydrogen, conversion of perhydro-m-terphenyl to m-terphenyl and selectivity to m-terphenyl was made during the reaction. It is shown that the best indicators are obtained when using the catalyst 3%Pt/C on the basis of carbon sibunit carrier.

The effect of the enzyme complex of micromycetes on the lignin component of bark was studied by the example of a fungus of the genus Trichoderma. As a biological object, a strain MG 97/6 Trichoderma asperellum Samuels RNCIM F-765 was used. The substrates were Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) bark, pendent birch (Betula pen-dula) bast, and products of dioxane lignin isolated from the larch bark and birch bast according to the Pepper method by treating them with a mixture dioxane-water (9 : 1) in the presence of HCl (0,7 %). The fungus was cultivated for 10 days in Petri dishes thermostated at 25–27 °С, at a humidity of 80 %, and pH = 6.5. The substrate was spawned with a fungus suspension in the amount of 1·106 spores per 1 g of dry substrate. Chemical analysis, UV and IR spectroscopies showed that the enzyme complex of micromycetes induces destructive changes in the lignin both in situ and in vitro. A scheme of oxidative degradation of wood lignin under the action of the fungus was suggested. Microbial decomposition of lignin may be advisable for the production of biologicals (such as Trihodermin) from lignin-containing waste or for the destruction and bleaching of wood fibers for their further industrial use (for example in the production of paper or bioethanol). 

Heterogeneous biocatalytic transesterification of vegetable oils into ethyl esters of fatty acids was studied. The process was carried out with ethanol or ethyl acetate and biocatalysts prepared by entrapping in silica xerogel of cell lysate of the recombinant strain rE.сoli/lip, that produces thermostable lipase from Thermomyces la-nuginosus. The transesterification of vegetable oil was performed both in a periodic mode in a stirred tank reactor and in a continuous mode in a fixed bed reactor. It was shown that ethyl acetate is an optimal acylating reagent for the interesterification of vegetable oil triglycerides into fatty acid ethyl esters. Unlike ethanol, this reagent does not inactivates biocatalyst irreversibly. The period of semi-inactivation of the biocatalysts was 720 h at 40 °C.