Abstract: A process is disclosed for preparing synthetic lubricant base stocks having improved properties. Synthetic lubricant base stocks may be prepared in good yield by oligomerizing linear olefins using certain acidic calcium montmorillonite clay catalysts. When a mixture of 1,3-di-isopropenyl benzene and long-chain alpha-olefin is used, in which up to about 20 wt. % of the mixture comprises 1,3-di-isopropenyl benzene, and the co-oligomers prepared therefrom are hydrogenated, a synthetic lubricant base stock having a lower pour point and a higher viscosity is prepared.

Abstract: A method for purifying a cumene recycle stream by removing 2-phenyl-2-propanol and cumene hydroperoxide before the cumene is distilled and recycled to the peroxidation reactor which comprises reacting the recycle cumene in the presence of an acid treated montmorillonite clay of the formula:M.sub.x/n.sup.n+.sub..y H.sub.2 O(Al.sub.4-x Mg.sub.x) (Si.sub.8)O.sub.20 (OH).sub.4or in the presence of a catalyst comprising phosphoric acid on silica.

Abstract: Tertiary butyl alcohol is prepared by the catalytic decomposition of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in solution in a monocyclic aromatic solvent in the presence of a metal phthalocycnaine catalyst.

Abstract: Tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl alcohol are recovered from the reaction product formed by reacting excess propylene with tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in solution in tertiary butyl alcohol in the presence of a soluble molybdenum catalyst, by fractionating the reaction produce to provide distillate propylene, propylene oxide, and tertiary butyl alcohol fractions and a heavy distillation fraction comprising tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, tertiary butyl alcohol and impurities, including dissolved molybdenum catalyst, the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl alcohol being recovered from the heavy distillation fraction by vacuum evaporation under evaporation conditions including a temperature of about 25.degree. to about 160.degree. C. and a pressure of about 2 to about 200 mm Hg. in order to provide a lighter condensate fraction comprising about 60 to about 95 wt. % of the heavy distillation fraction and containing from about 70 to about 95 wt.

Abstract: Diketones useful as intermediates for reaction with carboxylic acids to provide surfactants and for reaction with amine adducts to provide fuel additives are prepared from polyoxyalkylene glycols having a molecular weight of about 200 to about 2,000 and having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl and wherein n is a positive number having a value of 1 to about 50,The polyoxyalkylene polyol is oxidized in the presence of a halogenated alkane solvent and a ruthenium catalyst with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hypochlorite at a temperature of about 10.degree. to about 50.degree. C. and a pressure of about 0 to 1,000 psig. over a period of about 10 to about 20 hours to provide the corresponding diketone having the formula: ##STR2## wherein R and n have the meaning given above.

Abstract: A process for the production of detergent range alcohols and ketones by reacting an alkane with a hydroperoxide in the presence of a transition metal acetylacetonate catalyst is described. Preferred hydroperoxides include cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide. The transition metal itself may be iron, ruthenium, chromium and mixtures thereof. If iron acetylacetonate is used as a catalyst, copper (II) acetate may be usefully employed as a co-catalyst.

Abstract: A process for the production of detergent range alcohols and ketones by reacting an alkane with a hydroperoxide in the presence of a transition metal porphyrin catalyst is described. Preferred hydroperoxides include cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide. The transition metal porphyrin catalyst may be transition metal phthalocyanines, transition metalloporphines and the like. The transition metal itself may be iron, manganese, cobalt and mixtures thereof. Suitable ligands include, but are not limited to imidazoles and lithium borate. Other useful additives include alkali metal perchlorates, such as sodium perchlorate, iodosylbenzene and alkali metal superoxides, such as potassium superoxide, and phase transfer catalysts such as tetrabutyl ammonium bromide.

Abstract: A heavy distillation fraction comprising tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, tertiary butyl alcohol, impurities and dissolved molybdenum catalyst resulting from the removel of propylene, propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol from an epoxidation reaction product is mixed with about 5 to about 10 wt. %, based on the weight of the heavy liquid distilation fraction, of a lower aliphatic alcohol containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms to provide a charge mixture, and the charge mixture is:charged to a falling film evaporator and separator therein, under evaporator operating conditions including a temperature within the range of about 20.degree. to about 150.degree. C. and a pressure of about 1 to about 200 mm Hg., into an overhead vaporized fraction comprising substantially all of the aliphatic alcohol and from about 80 to about 95 wt. % of the heavy distillation fraction charged to the falling film evaporator.

Abstract: A process for the production of detergent range alcohols and ketones by reacting an alkane with a hydroperoxide in the presence of dicyano bis-(1,10-phenanthrolene)iron(II) is described. Preferred hydroperoxides include cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Abstract: Polyoxypropylene diketones are prepared by initially adding predetermined amounts of glacial acetic acid, a polyoxypropylene glycol and, optionally, water, to a reaction zone and thereafter adding an aqueous solution of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal hypochlorite oxidant to the reaction zone with agitation under reaction conditions including a temperature of about 10.degree. to about 50.degree. C., a pressure of about 0 to 1,000 psig. and a total reaction time of about 0.5 to 20 hours, whereby said polyoxypropylene glycol will be substantially selectively converted to the said corresponding diketone, and recovering said diketone.

Abstract: A process for substantially completely removing a minor amount of molybdenum dissolved in a substantially anhydrous organic solution, such as a heavy distillation fraction resulting from the removal of unreacted propylene, propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol from an epoxidation reaction mixture:wherein from about 1 to about 10 wt. % of an aqueous solution of sodium meta borate containing from about 1 to about 10 wt. % of dissolved sodium meta borate is added to an organic solution containing dissolved molybdenum catalyst in an amount sufficient to provide a molar excess of sodium meta borate, based on the gram atoms of dissolved molybdenum in said organic solution, to provide a mixture,wherein the mixture is maintained at a temperature ranging from about ambient temperature up to about 100.degree. C. at a pressure of about 0 to about 1,000 psig. for about 0.

Abstract: Tertiary butyl alcohol is prepared by the catalytic decomposition of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, preferably in solution in tertiary butyl alcohol, in the presence of a metal phthalocyanine catalyst promoted with a C.sub.1 to C.sub.18 thiol and a free radical inhibitor, such as a phthalocyanine of a metal of Group IB, Group VIIB or Group VIIIB of the Periodic Table (e.g., chloroferric phthalocyanine, dodecane thiol and 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene).

Abstract: A tertiary butyl hydroperoxide feedstock, such as one prepared by the reaction of isobutane with molecular oxygen comprising tertiary butyl hydroperoxide dissolved in tertiary butyl alcohol, is charged to a catalytic decomposition zone where the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide is catalytically decomposed in the presence of a soluble ruthenium catalyst compound promoted with a bidentate ligand to provide a decomposition reaction product characterized by a high conversion rate and a high selectivity of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: Tertiary butyl alcohol is prepared by the catalytic decomposition of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, preferably in solution in tertiary butyl alcohol, in the presence of a metal porphine catalyst, optionally promoted with a C.sub.1 to C.sub.18 alkyl thiol and an amine, such as an iron (III) or manganese (III) porphine and, optionally, a thiol such as dodecane thiol and an amine, such as a heterocyclic amine (e.g., pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline, imidazole or a 1-alkyl or 2-alkyl imidazole).

Abstract: Tertiary butyl alcohol is prepared by the catalytic decomposition of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, preferably in solution in tertiary butyl alcohol, in the presence of a borate-promoted metal phthalocyanine catalyst such as a Group IB, VIIB or VIIIB metal phthalocyanine and a Group IA, IIA or IIB metal borate, for example, chloroferric phthalocyanine and lithium borate, barium borate, zinc borate or sodium metaborate.

Abstract: In order to prepare a feedstock, isobutane is reacted with oxygen in an oxidation zone to provide an oxidation product comprising a solution of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in unreacted isobutane. A catalyst may be present to catalyze the reaction of the oxygen with the isobutane if desired.The feedstock is charged to a catalytic decomposition zone wherein the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide is decomposed in the presence of an imidazole-promoted metal phthalocyanine catalyst to provide a decomposition reaction product characterized by a compartively high conversion rate and a compartively high selectively of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: Tertiary butyl alcohol is prepared by the catalytic decomposition of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, preferably in solution in tertiary butyl alcohol, in the presence of a metal phthalocyanine catalyst promoted with a rhenium compound, such as a phthalocyanine of a metal of Group IB, Group VIIB or Group VIIIB of the Periodic Table (e.g., chloroferric phthalocyanine and rhenium heptoxide-p-dioxane or oxotrichloro-bis-(triphenylphosphine) rhenium V).

Abstract: A hydroperoxide charge stock (t-butyl hydroperoxide or t-amyl hydroperoxide) is reacted with a C.sub.3 to C.sub.20 olefin charge stock in liquid phase in a reaction zone in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a soluble molybdenum catalyst to form a product olefin epoxide corresponding to the olefin charge stock and a product alcohol corresponding to the hydroperoxide charge (t-butyl alcohol or t-amyl alcohol), which process is improved in accordance with the present invention by maintaining a reaction medium composed of more than 60 wt % of polar components (hydroperoxide charge stock, product alcohol and product epoxide) in the reaction zone by charging to the reaction zone at least about a 30 wt % solution of the hydroperoxide charge stock in the corresponding product alcohol and charging said olefin charge stock to said reaction zone in an amount relative to the amount of said charged solution of charged hydroperoxide in product alcohol sufficient to provide a ratio of from about 0.

Abstract: Complexes are made by reacting a solid ammoniummolybdate and a solid alkali metal molybdate with ethylene -glycol. Stripping of water of reaction subsequent to complex formation is preferred. The ratio of moles of alkylene glycol to total gram atoms of molybdenum should be in the range from about 7:1 to about 20:1 and the ratio of gram atoms of molybdenum in the ammonium molybdate to gram atoms of molybdenum in the alkali metal molybdenum should be in the range of about 1:1 to about 20:1. Solutions of the complexes are excellent catalysts for the reaction of propylene with an organic hydroperoxide such as tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to form propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: It has been discovered in accordance in accordance with the present invention that a tertiary butyl alcohol/ditertiary butyl peroxide azeotrope may be recovered from a product containing tertiary butyl alcohol and ditertiary butyl peroxide by distilling the tertiary butyl alcohol product to obtain an overhead fraction containing substantially all of the ditertiary butyl peroxide/tertiary butyl alcohol azeotrope and other contaminants.It has been further discovered in accordance with the present invention that the ditertiary butyl peroxide can be recovered from the distillate fraction by extraction with ethylene glycol (e.g., in a countercurrent ethylene glycol extraction tower) to provide a ditertiary butyl peroxide product of any desired degree of purity.