Abstract: A process for removing vinylidene olefin from an olefin mixture containing about 1 to 55 mole percent vinylidene olefin, 0 to 20 mole percent internal olefin and the balance vinyl olefin, said process comprising:(a) reacting said olefin mixture in the presence of a BF.sub.3 /phosphorus acid catalyst system so as to selectively dimerize vinylidene olefins, and(b) separating said vinyl olefin and internal olefin from the dimerized vinylidene olefin to produce an olefin product having a reduced vinylidene olefin content and an increased vinyl olefin content compared to said starting olefin mixture.

Abstract: Alkadienes are produced by reacting alkenyltrialkylammonium halide in which the double bond is allylic or homoallylic relative to the nitrogen atom with a strong inorganic base under phase transfer conditions. In this reaction trialkylamine is eliminated from the quaternary ammonium halide thereby resulting in the concurrent formation of the alkadiene. Long chain (e.g., C.sub.6 -C.sub.20) conjugated alkadienes, can readily be prepared from the corresponding alkenes in good yields on an economical basis by a three-stage process involving:(a) allylically monobrominating an alkene in the liquid phase;(b) converting the allylically monobrominated alkene into alkenyl quaternary ammonium bromide by reaction with a trialkyl amine; and(c) reacting the alkenyl quaternary ammonium bromide with a strong inorganic base under phase transfer conditions so that conjugated alkadiene and trialkylamine are formed.

Abstract: 6-Carboxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran and ring-substituted derivatives thereof are prepared by reacting a 1,4-disubstituted butane having leaving groups at the one and four positions in a liquid solvent medium with carbon monoxide at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a catalytic amount of a metal carbonyl compound and an alkali metal inorganic base or an alkaline earth metal inorganic base.

Abstract: Halo-.alpha.-keto-carboxylic acids are prepared by reacting a dihaloalkane in a liquid solvent medium with carbon monoxide at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a catalytic amount of a metal carbonyl compound and an alkali metal inorganic base or an alkaline earth metal inorganic base.

Abstract: A process for the production of aryloxyalkylpyruvic acid of the general formula:(R).sub.n --A--O--(CR'.sub.2).sub.m --CR"H--COCOOHwherein:A represents an aromatic hydrocarbon radical containing 1 or 2 condensed benzene rings,R, R' and R" may be the same or different, and are selected from hydrogen and linear or branched alkyl radicals having up to about 6 carbon atoms,n is 0 or an integer from 1-5 when A contains one benzene ring, and n is 0 or an integer from 1-7 when A contains two condensed benzene rings and m is 0-20, which comprises carbonylating an aryloxyalkyl halide of the general formula:(R).sub.n --A--O--(CR'.sub.2).sub.m --CR"H--Xwhere R, R', R", n, A and m are as defined above and X represents halogen in a liquid solvent medium with carbon monoxide at elevated temperature and elevated pressure in the presence of a catalytic amount of a metal carbonyl compound and an alkali metal inorganic base or an alkaline earth metal inorganic base.

Abstract: A process for the production of an arylalkylpyruvic acid of the general formula:(R).sub.n --A--(CH.sub.2).sub.m CH.sub.2 COCOOHwherein:A represents an aromatic hydrocarbon radical containing 1 or 2 condensed benzene rings,each R, which may be the same or different, represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl radical with up to 4 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by a nitro group or by an alkoxy group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkoxy group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a halogeno, nitrile, nitro or alkylcarbonyloxy group,n is 0 or an integer from 1-3 when A contains one benzene ring, and n is 0 or an integer from 1-5 when A contains two condensed benzene rings and m is 1-20, which comprises carbonylating an arylalkyl halide of the general formula:(R).sub.n --A--(CH.sub.2).sub.m CH.sub.

Abstract: A process for the production of .alpha.-keto-carboxylic acids of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and are hydrogen, hydrocarbyl radicals, substituted hydrocarbyl radicals or hydrocarbyloxy radicals by reacting an acyl halide of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are as defined above and X represents halogen, in a liquid solvent medium, with an alkali metal tricarbonyl[triphenylphosphine]cobaltate complex of the formula:MCo(CO).sub.3 Ph.sub.3wherein M is an alkali metal to form the corresponding phenylacetyl tricarbonyl[triphenylphosphine]cobalt complex of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are as defined above, reacting the acylcobaltcarbonyl complex thus formed with carbon monoxide and an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide at elevated temperature and elevated pressure in a liquid solvent medium to form the corresponding alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt of the product .alpha.

Abstract: A process for the production of .alpha.-keto-carboxylic acids of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and are hydrogen, hydrocarbyl radicals, substituted hydrocarbyl radicals or hydrocarbyloxy radicals by reacting an acyl halide of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are as defined above and X represents halogen, in a liquid solvent medium, with an alkali metal tetracarbonyl cobaltate complex of the formula:MCo(CO).sub.4wherein M is an alkali metal to form the corresponding acylcobaltcarbonyl complex of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are as defined above, reacting the acylcobaltcarbonyl complex thus formed with carbon monoxide and an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide at elevated temperature and elevated pressure in a liquid solvent medium to form the corresponding alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt of the product .alpha.-keto-carboxylic acid and thereafter acidifying the salt of the .alpha.