Abstract: Disclosed are novel polyhydric alcohol partial esters of polycarboxylic acids from Diels-Alder adducts of maleic anhydride and a straight chain unsaturated carboxylic acid having ten to twenty-five carbon atoms. The partial esters can be subsequently sulfated.The polyhydric alcohol can be a mono- or disaccharide such as sucrose or mannose.The partial esters are surfactants which are dermatologially acceptable and useful in personal products and skin-care products.

Abstract: Disclosed are a process and apparatus useful for reclaiming sulfur-containing waste materials such as waste or spent sulfuric acid and acid tars.The sulfur-containing waste material is burned in a multi-stage combustion furnace having, in sequence, a rotary furnace containing heated coke, an intermediate combustion chamber and a secondary combustion chamber. The temperatures, gas flow rates and amount of added air are carefully controlled.A separation gas is produced having a high sulfur dioxide content which can be used in the sulfuric acid contact process. The separation gas is free of nitrous oxides, hydrocarbons and sulfur trioxide.