Fatty acids with different chain length were deoxygenated in the absence of hydrogen (caprylic acid (CA), lauric acid (LA) and stearic acid (SA)). The catalytic tests were carried over Pd-containing catalysts out in a batch reactor under inert gas for 6 h at 250˚C to 350˚C and pressures from 18 to 75 bar in the absence of additionally fed hydrogen. Pd-containing catalysts were tested; the best performing catalyst was 10% Pd/C with 63% undecane yield at 327˚C. These catalysts were used for a comparative decarboxylation of CA, LA and SA. At equal reaction conditions (300˚C, 6 h), the chain length of the fatty acid had a strong impact on the conversion, which was steadily increasing, whereas the alkane selectivity ran through a maximum. This work demonstrated the usability of Pd-containing catalysts for the decarboxylation of various fatty acids in the absence of additionally fed hydrogen with respect to the manufacture of hydrocarbons that can be used as blending components for fuels.

Azobisnitriles constitute an important class of organic compounds and are used commercially as initiators in several free radical polymerisation reactions, and also as blowing agents for the production of polymer foams. [1][2][3] The symmetrical azobisnitriles are conventionally prepared by reaction between a ketone and hydrazine to form azines, which on reaction with hydrogen cyanide, yield 1,2-bis (cyanoalkyl) hydrazines as intermediates. The oxidation of 1, 2-bis (cyanoalkyl) hydrazines with a variety of oxidants such as chlorine, bromine, potassium dichromate, sodium dichromate, potassium permanganate, oxygen-ozone mixture, sodium hypochlorite solution, hydrogen peroxide-KBr-H 2 SO 4 reagent system, as well as Oxone-KBr in aqueous medium 4 yields azobisnitriles. 3 However, many of these oxidants suffer from drawbacks such as formation of toxic / undesirable waste (dichromates and permanganate), difficulty in handling (halogens,

Nitriles P 0350Oxidation of 1,2-Bis(cyanoalkyl)hydrazines to Azobisnitriles Using Trichloroisocyanuric Acid. -Trichloroisocyanuric acid is found to efficiently oxidize disubstituted hydrazines (I) to the corresponding diazonitrile-compounds (II) under mild conditions and in excellent yields. -(MOHITE, S. A.; DESAI*, U. V.; PORE, D. M.; MANE, R. B.; WADGAONKAR, P. P.; J. Chem. Res. 2004, 9, 645-646; Dep. Chem., Shivaji Univ., Kolhapur 416 004, India; Eng.) -C. Oppel