Abstract: A process for synthesizing 3,5-dichloroalkylbenzene and recovering 1,3-dichlorobenzene from a starting mixture of 1,3- and 1,4-dichlorobenzenes. The process includes the sequential steps of selectively alkylating the 1,3-dichlorobenzene in the starting mixture; isomerizing a portion of the 2,4-dichloroalkylbenzene produced to 3,5-dichloroalkylbenzene; separating the 1,4-dichlorobenzene from the isomeric mixture of dichlorocumenes; and selectively transalkylating the dichlorocumenes to yield alkylbenzene, 3,5-dichloroalkylbenzene and 1,3-dichlorobenzene. By selectively alkylating only a portion of the 1,3-dichlorobenzene, the reaction products are obtained in good yield and substantially free of undesirable by-products.

Abstract: The invention includes a process wherein an olefin is carbonylated with carbon monoxide to form carboxylic acid esters in the presence of a catalyst complex of one mole of BF.sub.3 and one mole of alcohol, and the catalyst is recovered from the desired reaction product and the reaction by-products and is recycled. The carbonylation is carried out until approximately one-half of the alcohol is consumed to form a reaction mass containing the BF.sub.3, the alcohol, and carboxylic acid esters in a 2:1:1 molar ratio. In the first step, the one mole of free BF.sub.3 is vaporized from the reaction mass. The remaining admixture is a 1:1:1 mixture of the aforesaid compounds. To this mixture additional alcohol is added and the mixture is subjected to distillation. An azeotrope of the product carboxylic acid ester and the alcohol and residual alcohol are removed by the distillation, leaving a residue containing a 1:2 BF.sub.

Abstract: Propylene and ethylene may be carbonylated to form carboxylic acid esters or carboxylic acids in the presence of a catalyst complex containing 1 mole of BF.sub.3 and 1 mole of a second complexing component. The carboxylic acid product or acid portion of the ester product has one more carbon atom than the olefin reacted. High yields of these products are obtained. In the case of the formation of the ester, the second complexing component is an alcohol, while in the case of the preparation of carboxylic acid, the second complexing component is water. Methyl isobutyrate and methyl propionate formed by the carbonylation of propylene and ethylene, respectively, in the presence of a BF.sub.3.CH.sub.3 OH catalyst may be dehydrogenated to prepare methyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate, respectively. Similarly, the isobutyric acid and propionic acid formed from propylene and ethylene, respectively, in the presence of BF.sub.3.H.sub.

Abstract: This invention concerns the preparation of oxirane compounds by the vapor phase cracking of hydroxyesters in the presence of a basic material. Specifically, it has been discovered that the aforesaid reaction may be carried out without the prior separation of vicinal glycols, vicinal diesters or both. This is particularly advantageous because vicinal hydroxyesters are frequently formed in combination with these latter materials and the separation thereof is most difficult. Preferably, mixtures of the hydroxyesters, glycols and diesters are first hydrolyzed or esterified in order to increase the hydroxyester content.