Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making aromatic carbonates. In this method, an aryl alcohol is reacted with a dialkyl carbonate in a reactor (e.g., a distillation column) to produce an arylalkyl carbonate and diaryl carbonate. The total yield of arylalkyl carbonate and diaryl carbonate together is at least 40%. Also, the selectivity of diaryl carbonate versus diaryl carbonate and arylalkyl carbonate together is preferably at least 25%.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula I and disulfides thereof and salts thereof are important intermediate products for the preparation of compounds having a microbicidal and plant-immunizing action, of the formula III In the compounds of the formulae I and III: X is halogen, n is 0,1,2 or 3; Z is CN, CO—A or CS—A, A is hydrogen, halogen, OR1, SR2 and N(R3)R4; R1 to R4 are hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted, open-chain, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical containing not more than 8 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical containing not more than 10 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted benzyl or phenethyl, a substituted or unsubstituted alkanoyl group containing not more than 8 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted benzoyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclyl radical; or R3 and R4, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, are a 5- or 6-membered, substit

Abstract: This invention provides a process for conducting Suzuki coupling reactions. The processes of the present invention make use of N-heterocyclic carbenes as ancillary ligands in Suzuki couplings of aryl halides and aryl pseudohalides. A Suzuki coupling can be carried out by mixing, in a liquid medium, at least one strong base; at least one aryl halide or aryl pseudohalide in which all substituents are other than boronic acid groups, wherein the aryl halide has, directly bonded to the aromatic ring(s), at least one halogen atom selected from the group consisting of a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, and an iodine atom; at least one arylboronic acid in which all substituents are other than chlorine atoms, bromine atoms, iodine atoms, or pseudohalide groups; at least one metal compound comprising at least one metal atom selected from nickel, palladium, and platinum, wherein the formal oxidation state of the metal is zero or two; and at least one N-heterocyclic carbene.

Abstract: An &agr;-cyanoacrylate may be formed by first condensing a cyanoacetate with paraformaldehyde or formaldehyde; reacting the polymer formed with an alcohol to transesterify the polymer; and depolymerizing the polymer to form &agr;-cyanoacrylate monomers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for preparing alpha-arylated carbonyl-containing compounds, comprising the steps of reacting a compound having at least one carbonyl group with an arylating compound in the presence of a base and a transition metal catalyst under reaction conditions effective to form an alpha-arylated carbonyl-containing compound, the transition metal catalyst comprising a Group 8 metal and at least one chelating ligand selected from the group consisting of unsaturated Group 15 heterocycles, Group 15-substituted metallocenes, Group 15-substituted alkanes, Group 15-substituted arylenes, and combinations thereof. The process of the present invention simplifies the preparation of commercially significant organic alpha-aryl carbonyl-containing compounds, particularly for use in the pharmaceutical and polymer industries.

Abstract: Polydiacetylenes prepared from 2,4-hexadiyne monomers substituted with at least one side chain component, exhibit an absorption maximum wavelength maximum greater than that exhibited by polydiacetylenes formed from 1,6-di-N-carbazolyl 2,4-hexadiyne. Preferably, the polydiacetylenes exhibit an absorption maximum that is in the range of visible light. Examples of suitable side chain components of the polydiacetylenes include cyanovinyl aromatic substituents and quinoid substituents. The polydiacetylenes exhibit useful third order nonlinear optical behavior for electromagnetic radiation in the visible and near-infrared electromagnetic wavelength range and can be formed by thermally-based synthesis methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to phenylacetic acid derivatives of the formula I ##STR1## where the substituents and the index have the following meanings: X is NOCH.sub.3, CHOCH.sub.3, CHCH.sub.3 and [sic] CHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 ;R.sup.1 is hydrogen and [sic] C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl;R.sup.2 is cyano, nitro, trifluoromethyl, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl and [sic] C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy;m is 0, 1 or 2, it being possible for the R.sup.2 radicals to be different if m is 2;R.sup.3 is hydrogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, amino, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.1 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylamino or di-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylamino;R.sup.4 is hydrogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, amino, halogen,R.sup.5 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 -alkynyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkylcarbonyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 -alkenylcarbonyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.