SHELL Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. Granted Patent for a PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BUTANEDIOL AND TETRAHYDROFURAN FROM FURAN

SHELL Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. provides commercial physical and biological research and development services and facilities. The Company markets its services to chemical and biological researchers from throughout the Netherlands and worldwide.

In India, the Chemical business of SHELL Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. is focused on the process for the conversion of lower alkanes to aromatic hydrocarbons, oxadiazole compounds, their preparation and their use as pesticides, the process for the combustion of coke present on solid particles, and the production of recoverable heat from hydrocarbon-bearing solid particles and apparatus.

SHELL Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. filed a patent application numbered 201747035758 that is titled as PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 1 4 BUTANEDIOL AND TETRAHYDROFURAN FROM FURAN. The patent has been filed in the field of Chemicals. This Patent Application has been granted as Patent Number 344376. This invention focuses on a method for the construction of THF and 1,4-BDO from furan in the attendance of a catalytic structure, wherein the catalytic configuration consists of a metal carefully chosen from the group containing Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt and, optionally, has one or more added metal on a solid support.

During the patent examination, the patent examiner raised objections under Section 3(d) of the Indian Patents Act citing that the process claimed in is a mere discovery of existed method over documents which does not result in the enhancement in processing for the production of THF and 1 4 BDO from furan in the presence of a catalytic composition.

As a response, the Applicant submitted that the amended claims do not fall under the purview of Section 3(d) of the Patents Act. None of the cited prior art documents disclose a process of preparing tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-BDO comprising a specific regeneration of the employed catalyst composition.

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