Abstract: High molecular weight polybutenes having a viscosity SSU above 1,000,000 at 210.degree. F. are produced by using a three-component catalyst system containing an alkyl aluminium halide, tertiary butyl halide and a metal halide selected from SnCl.sub.4, SnBr.sub.4, TiCl.sub.4, and TiBr.sub.4. The reaction phase is homogeneous and the catalyst components are added as a solution in an inert solvent. The polyisobutene product so produced are useful additives for oil, adhesives and mastics.

Abstract: Phenol containing less than 30 ppm hydroxyacetone is produced by feeding hydroxyacetone-contaminated phenol obtained by the decomposition of cumene hydroperoxide, which phenol is substantially free from cleavage catalyst and light ends such as acetone and water, and up to 22% by weight of cumene and/or alpha-methyl styrene to an intermediate point in a distillation column from which there is removed overhead a fraction containing cumene and/or alpha-methyl styrene and a substantial proportion of the hydroxyacetone in the feed and there is removed from the base a fraction comprising phenol containing less than 30 ppm hydroxyacetone, whilst maintaining the column under such conditions of temperature and pressure that cumene and/or alpha-methyl styrene forms from 55 to 80% by weight of the composition on the uppermost 15 to 70% of the trays in the stripping section and phenol forms greater than 50% by weight of the composition on the bottommost 10 to 50% of the trays in the stripping section.