Abstract: Compounds and methods are disclosed for reversibly aggregating particles suspended in a liquid medium. The method comprises combining the liquid medium containing the particles with a polyionic polymer capable of aggregating the particles under conditions suitable for such aggregation. Thereafter, the particles are contacted with a chemical reagent capable of cleaving the polyionic polymer under conditions sufficient to reverse the aggregation. Optionally, magnetic particles are added to the liquid medium in the present method under conditions for non-specific binding and the medium including the aggregates is subjected to a magnetic field gradient to separate the aggregates from the medium. The compounds of the present invention are polyions. The aggregation of the particles is reversible upon contact with chemical agents which cleave at least some of the bonds within the polyionic polymer.

Abstract: A novel class of cross-linking agent, which comprises a monomeric organic compound having at least two hydroxyl groups each bonded to a different carbon atom, wherein said hydroxyl groups are activated by reaction with 2-fluoro-1-methylpyridinium toluene-4-sulfonate (FMP). Suitable monomeric organic compounds include diols and polyols. Such cross-linking agents may be conveniently prepared by reaction of the monomeric organic compound with FMP in a suitable solvent, followed by recovery of the resultant reaction products, e.g., via precipitation and filtration. The novel cross-linking agents have a wide variety of uses, including the interconnection of subunits of multimeric enzymes and the covalent immobilization of organic ligands to suitable carriers or supports.

Abstract: Substituted phenethanol ethers are prepared by the catalytic reduction of corresponding substituted phenylglyoxal acetals. The catalytic reduction is carried out by reacting a substituted phenylglyoxal acetal with hydrogen in the presence of an acid catalyst and a metal catalyst. Certain substituted phenylglyoxal acetals, and more particularly, 4-hydroxyphenylglyoxal dialkyl acetals are prepared by reacting 4-hydroxyacetophenone with a primary or a secondary alkyl alcohol in the presence of a hydrogen ion (H+) source and a nitrosonium ion (NO+) source.

Abstract: In the instant invention the effluent from the DIPE reactor is separated in a novel separation process that includes, in one embodiment, two extraction steps serially combined to initially separate IPA from the reaction products by extraction with water. The aqueous IPA extract is separated in a second extraction step carried out using the C.sub.3 hydrocarbon feedstream to the process as extractor. To effectuate the separation of aqueous IPA, the second extraction is carried out at a temperature higher than that of the first extraction step. The organic phase from the first extraction containing DIPE, C.sub.3 hydrocarbons and water is separated in a splitter to provide dry DIPE as product. In another embodiment dry DIPE is produced by an initial aqueous extraction of the reaction effluent followed by distillation to separate C.sub.3 hydrocarbons and water overhead and DIPE as a bottom stream.