Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for the preparation of carboxylic acid benzyl esters from dibenzyl ethers, comprising reacting dibenzyl ethers with carboxylic acids in the presence of a homogeneous acidic catalyst.

Abstract: A process for preparing an emulsion is disclosed. The process entails mixing an aqueous mineral acid that contains phosphorous in an organic solvent, the mixing being continuous and with the degree of intensity sufficient to form a homogeneous emulsion. The emulsion prepared by the process is useful in the process of preparing polycarbonate by the interfacial process. Accordingly the washed organic polycarbonate that has been washed without the use of a phosphorous containing mineral acid solution is mixed with the novel emulsion. The resulting polycarbonate is characterized by its improved thermal stability.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of ethers of hydroxybenzoic acid having general formula (I), which comprises reacting a hydroxybenzoic acid, optionally substituted, with a halide XR1, wherein X is a halogen such as chlorine, in a basic environment and in an aqueous or aqueous/organic biphasic solvent.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of 3-aminoalkanoic acid esters of the general formula: in which R is C1-6-alkyl and R1 is hydrogen, C1-6-alkyl or phenyl, or their salts, by catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding 3-amino-2-alkenoic acid esters of the general formula: in which R and R1 have the above mentioned meanings. The hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of a strong acid and the salt of the 3-aminoalkanoic acid ester (I) and the strong acid formed is optionally converted into the free 3-aminoalkanoic acid ester (I) or into another salt in a manner known per se.

Abstract: Compounds of formula I in the form of their racemates or enantiomers, preferably compounds of formula Ia wherein R4 is C1-C6alkyl, Z is chlorine, bromine or iodine, and X is —OH, chloride, bromide or iodide, or X forms an ester group with the carbonyl substituent, as well as salts of carboxylic acids. The compounds are valuable intermediates for the propagation of &dgr;-amino-&ggr;-hydroxy-&ohgr;-aryl-alkanecarboxamides, which exhibit renin-inhibiting properties and could be used as antihypertensive agents in pharmaceutical preparations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to production of 2-cyclohexyl-2-hydroxy-2-phenylacetic acid useful as an intermediate for pharmaceutical products, by an industrial means, economically, safely in a good yield. Novel 2-(2′-cyclohexen-1′-yl)-2-hydroxy-2-phenylacetic acid ester obtained by reacting cyclohexene and benzoylformic acid ester in the presence of a Lewis acid is hydrolyzed and reduced to give 2-cyclohexyl-2-hydroxy-2-phenylacetic acid.

Abstract: This invention relates to high purity hydrogen ion buffers and in particular amino-organosulfonic acid zwitterionic compositions having low metal content. The concentration of any single metal in the composition is no greater than about 500 ppb, and ideally is less than about 20 ppb.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the catalytic epoxidation of an alkene comprising a transition metal substituted polyoxofluorometalate and molecular oxygen with the alkene. The invention also includes transition metal substituted polyoxofluorometalates of the formula Qq[NaH2(TM)(H2O)M17F6O55]q and the molecular structure depicted in FIG. 1, where M is Mo, W, Nb, V or combinations thereof, TM is selected from Ti, V, Cr, Mn Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and the noble metals Ru, Pd, Rh, Ir, Os and Pt,, and Q is a countercation countering the charge q−, and a process for preparing such polyoxofluorometalates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel bioactive compound 12-(12′-CARBOXY-5′-METHOXYPHENYL)-2,12-DIHYDROXY-DODECA-4-ONE “Sporotricolone”, mainly as acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitor, along with a process for the isolation of said compound from fungus Sporotrichum species.

Abstract: An industrially advantageous process for producing optically active 4-amino-2-methylbutane-1-ol which is useful as an intermediate in synthesizing optically active medicines and pesticides. Racemic 4-amino-2-methylbutane-1-ol is treated with an optically active organic acid. The diastereomeric salt thus obtained is crystallized out and subjected to solid-liquid separation to give optically active 4-amino-2-methylbutane-1-ol. The diastereomeric salt of optically active 4-amino-2-methylbutane-1-ol with an optically active reagent for optical resolution is decomposed by bringing into contact with a solvent and an alkali and subjected to solid-liquid separation, thereby recovering the optically active 4-amino-2-methylbutane-1-ol from the filtrate. Further, the filtration residue containing the alkali salt of the reagent for optical resolution obtained by the solid-liquid separation is brought into contact with a solvent and an acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for selective liquid phase hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds of the general formula I, where R1 and R2 are identical or different and are each independently hydrogen or a saturated or a mono- or polyunsaturated straight-chain or branched, optionally substituted C1-C20-alkyl radical, an optionally substituted aryl radical or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, to give the corresponding alcohols of the general formula II where R1 and R2 are each as defined above, in the presence of hydrogen and a Pt/ZnO catalyst.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for preparing 4-substituted-4-cyanocyclohexane carboxylates by forming the cyclohexane ring by treating a &agr;,&agr;-bis(2-haloethyl)-4-benzeneacetonitrile with a dialkyl malonate and decarboxylating the resulting diester.

Abstract: A process for preparing N-acyl derivatives of the formula I, in which the substituents independently of one another have the following meanings: X is CH(OR3)2, COOR3; R1 is hydrogen, C1-C12-alkyl, aryl, unsubstituted or substituted; R2 is hydrogen, C1-C12-alkyl, aryl, unsubstituted or substituted; R3 is C1-C12-alkyl, which comprises reacting a carboxamide R1—CONH2 of the formula II with a glyoxal monoacetal derivative of the formula III, in the presence of a carboxylic acid R4—COOH of the formula IV where R4=C1-C12-alkyl, where the substituents R1 to R3 are as defined above, is described.

Abstract: Economical processes are disclosed for recovery and refining of at least acrylic acid from a gaseous mixture such as is obtainable by gas-phase catalytic oxidation of propylene. Processes of the invention include quenching the gaseous mixture with an aqueous quench liquid to obtain an aqueous solution comprising the acid values; contacting the aqueous solution with an immiscible extraction solvent; and an integrated sequence of distillations and phase separations to recover for recycle organic components of the extraction solvent, and obtain valuable acrylic acid and acetic acid products. Advantageously, the immiscible extraction solvent is substantially free of aromatic compounds such as benzene and toluene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the carbonylation of conjugated dienes, whereby a conjugated diene is reacted with carbon monoxide and a hydroxyl group containing compound in the presence of a catalyst system including: (a) a source of palladium cations, (b) a phosphorus-containing ligand, (c) a source of anions, wherein the phosphorus-containing ligand is a ligand having the general formula (I): X1—R—X2 wherein X1 and X2 represent a substituted or non-substituted cyclic group with at least 5 ring atoms, of which one is a phosphorus atom, and R represents a bivalent organic bridging group, connecting both phosphorus atoms, containing from 1 to 4 atoms in the bridge, whereby the carbonylation process can be performed batch wise, semi-continuously or continuously.

Abstract: Disclosed are 3,4,5-trisubstituted aryl nitrone compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds. The 3,4,5-trisubstituted aryl nitrone compounds have formula (I); where R1-R4 are as defined in the specification. The disclosed compositions are useful as therapeutics for inflammation-related conditions in mammals, such as arthritis, and as analytical reagents for detecting free radicals.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a process in which, when a hydroxyalkyl ester is produced by carrying out a reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alkylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst, the contamination of the hydroxyalkyl ester with water can be inhibited to the maximum limit without washing the inside of a production apparatus together with the raw carboxylic acid or the hydroxyalkyl ester as an aimed product, or without carrying out azeotropic distillation with water and an azeotropic solvent. The process comprises a washing step and thereafter a drying step in the interval of from the stop of a production of the hydroxyalkyl ester till the restart of this production, wherein the washing step is a step of washing the inside of a production apparatus with water and/or an aqueous basic solution, and wherein the drying step is a step of drying under reduced pressure and/or hot-air-drying the inside of the production apparatus.

Abstract: Acid fluorides, for example carboxylic acid fluorides and sulfuryl fluoride are produced by reacting the corresponding acid chlorides with hydrogen fluoride adducts of ammonium fluoride or amine hydrofluorides (which act as a catalyst or as a fluorination agent). Consumed HF adducts may be regenerated with HF.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for producing alcohols, particularly methanol, according to an alcohol synthesis process. The apparatus comprises a catalytic distillation reactor where reactants are fed into the catalytic distillation reactor to undergo catalytic reaction to form methanol. Methanol production beyond the thermodynamic limit is achieved in the apparatus through use of multiple distillation stages, preferably at least three.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing a cyclopropanecarboxylate of formula (1): which comprises contacting a cyclopropanecarboxylate of formula (2): with a monohydroxy compound of formula (3): R7OH  (3) in the presence of a lithium compound of formula (4): R8OLi  (4), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; R6 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group; R7 and R8 do not simultaneously represent the same and each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group.