Abstract: A noble metal catalyst, such as palladium, is activated by successive and sequential reactions with an alcohol, such as hydroxybenzyl alcohol, and oxygen or a gas containing oxygen in an aqueous, preferably alkaline, medium, The catalyst activated in the aforementioned manner is particularly useful for the oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes.

Abstract: Quaternary ammonium salts, such as methyl tributyl ammonium chloride, are novel catalysts in a nitrile-forming reaction which comprises stirring together aqueous sodium cyanide and the undistilled m-trifluoromethyl benzyl chloride product of the reaction of chloromethyl methyl ether, chlorosulfonic acid and trifluoromethyl benzene from which chloromethyl ether impurities, methanol, water and some of the unreacted trifluoromethyl benzene are removed. The process is conducted under alkaline conditions in a two-phase liquid reaction medium. m-Trifluoromethyl benzyl nitrile is prepared in excellent yields and purity.