Abstract: A process for the recovery of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile from an aqueous solution comprising subjecting the said solution to a water extractive distillation by feeding the solution to a distillation column and performing said extractive distillation and using solvent water introduced at the top of said column, removing a first overhead vapor stream of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile with some water from the top of the column, and a first liquid stream containing water and impurities from the bottom of the column, the contents of said column maintained at a substantially neutral pH by adding a sufficient amount of at least one alkaline compound selected from ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbamate, and alkylene diamines to the overhead decanter and/or to the solvent water.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of oxazole comprising contacting a mixture comprising oxazole and acetonitrile with an acid to form an acid salt of oxazole; separating acid salt of the oxazole from the mixture; and neutralizing the acid salt of oxazole separated from the mixture to release oxazole.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of oxazole comprising contacting a mixture comprising oxazole and acetonitrile with an acid to form an acid salt of oxazole; separating acid salt of the oxazole from the mixture; and neutralizing the acid salt of oxazole separated from the mixture to release oxazole.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile from an aqueous solution comprising subjecting the said solution to a water extractive distillation by feeding the solution to a distillation column and performing said extractive distillation and using solvent water introduced at the top of said column, removing a first overhead vapor stream of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile with some water from the top of the column, and a first liquid stream containing water and impurities from the bottom of the column, the contents of said column maintained at a substantially neutral pH by adding a sufficient amount of at least one alkaline compound selected from ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbamate, and alkylene diamines to the overhead decanter and/or to the solvent water.

Abstract: A process which comprises contacting and catalytically reacting under essentially anhydrous conditions in the liquid phase an amide with a nitrile according to the equation:RCONH.sub.2 +R.sup.1 CN.revreaction.RCN+R.sup.1 CONH.sub.2where R and R.sup.

Abstract: This invention relates to acetonitrile purification via an adsorption-based process. The process comprises pretreating the acetonitrile containing organic impurities such as unsaturated nitriles with a solid reagent to selectively convert the unsaturated nitriles into products more easily removed and passing the treated acetonitrile through a series of adsorbent beds to remove the resulting products and other impurities present from the acetonitrile.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making an .alpha.-hydroxy acid which is essentially all L or all D with respect to the chiral C atom bonded to the carboxy group of said acid which comprises (1) hydrocarboxylating an enol acylate, which has a chiral C atom that is essentially all L or all D, with CO and water or an organic hydroxyl compound, thereby producing a reaction mixture containing diastereomeric .alpha.-acyloxy acids or esters having two chiral centers and having essentially no enantiomeric pairs, (2) separating the diastereomers by conventional physical means and (3) hydrolyzing at least one of said separated diastereomers to make at least the .alpha.-hydroxy acid which is essentially all L or all D with respect to the chiral C atom bonded to the carboxy group of said acid.Also disclosed is a process for making an .alpha.

Abstract: A method of producing stabilized crude acetonitrile (i.e. acetonitrile which has been treated to substantially eliminate polymerization of the acetonitrile upon vaporization) which comprises mixing crude acetonitrile, a strong base and aldehyde together, heating to the reflux temperature of the mixture to stabilize the crude acetonitrile and recovering the stabilize acetonitrile. This stabilized acetonitrile is utilized to manufacture hydrogen cyanide.

Abstract: A process of producing hydrogen cyanide from crude acetonitrile comprising contacting the crude acetonitrile with an ammoxidation catalyst at an elevated temperature in the presence of an oxygen containing gas and ammonia. Preferably, the process is performed in the absence of propylene.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method which comprises introducing into a reaction zone a feed which comprises a hydroxyl compound reactant, R"OH at least one amide reactant selected from R--CONH.sub.2 and R--CONHR', and a Lewis base as catalyst, thereby reacting R"OH with said amide reactant to produce a reaction mixture containing at least one disubstituted amide selected from R--CONR".sub.2 and R--CONR'R", whereineach of R, R' and R" contains no acetylenic unsaturation and 1 to 30 carbon atoms;each of R, R' and R" is selected from a hydrocarbyl groups and a hydrocarbyl group that is substituted with a group selected from carbamoyl, hydrocarbylcarbamoyl, dihydrocarbylcarbamoyl, and hydroxyl.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method which comprises the reaction in a reaction zone of a nitrile, RCN, with a hydroxyl compound, R'OH, in the presence of water introduced into the reaction zone in the amount of more than 0.15 mole and up to 10 moles, per mole of RCN introduced to the reaction zone, thereby producing a reaction mixture containing at least one amide selected from R--CONHR' and R--CON(R').sub.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method which comprises the reaction in a reaction zone of a nitrile, RCN, with a hydroxyl compound, R'OH, in the presence of a Lewis base as catalyst introduced into the reaction zone, thereby producing a reaction mixture containing at least one amide selected from R--CONHR' and R--CON(R').sub.2, whereineach of R and R' contains no acetylenic unsaturation and 1 to 30 carbon atoms,each of R and R' is independently selected from a hydrocarbyl group and a hydrocarbyl group that is substituted with a group selected from cyano, carbamoyl, hydrocarbylcarbamoyl, dihydrocarbylcarbamoyl, and hydroxyl.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method which comprises the reaction in a reaction zone of a nitrile, RCN, with a hydroxyl compound, R'OH, in the presence of an inorganic catalyst introduced into the reaction zone, thereby producing a reaction mixture containing at least one amide selected from R--CONHR' and R--CON(R').sub.2, whereineach of R and R' contains no acetylenic unsaturation and 1 to 30 carbon atoms,each of R and R' is independently selected from a hydrocarbyl group and a hydrocarbyl group that is substituted with a group selected from cyano, carbamoyl, hydrocarbylcarbamoyl, dihydrocarbylcarbamoyl, and hydroxyl,wherein said inorganic catalyst is selected from phosphates and sulfates of Be, Ng, Al and B, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method which comprises introducing into a reaction zone a feed which comprises a hydroxyl compound reactant, R"OH, at least one amide reactant selected from R-CONH.sub.2 and R-CONHR', and an inorganic catalyst, thereby reacting R"OH with said amide reactant to produce a rection mixture containing at least one disubstituted amide selected from R-CONHR".sub.2 and R-CONHR'R", whereineach of R, R' and R" contains no acetylenic unsaturation and 1 to 30 carbon atoms,each of R, R' and R" is selected from a hydrocarbyl group and a hydrocarbyl group that is substituted with a group selected from carbamoyl, hydrocarbylcarbamoyl, dihydrocarbylcarbamoyl, and hydroxyl,wherein said inorganic catalyst is selected from phosphates and sulfates of a Group 13 element and of a Group 2 metal having an atomic weight less than 145, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making ethylamines by the hydrogenation in a reaction zone of acetonitrile contained in a basic aqueous solution which also contains HCN, which comprises continuously passing hydrogen gas in contact with a flowing stream containing acetonitrile, water and HCN, which stream is in contact with a solid hydrogenation catalyst, wherein the hydrogen contact time is in the range from 0.5 seconds to 20 minutes and the molar ratio of H.sub.2 to acetonitrile charged to said reaction zone is in the range 2-200:1.

Abstract: This invention relates to new compounds of the formula: ##STR1## where each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 has zero to 10 C atoms, and no acetylenic unsaturation; each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 is independently selected from H and hydrocarbyl; with the proviso that R.sup.6 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 hydrocarbyl; each of R.sup.5 and R.sup.

Abstract: 1,3-butadienes are catalytically hydrocarbamylated to make 3-pentenamides.

Abstract: In the process of hydrocarboxylating an .alpha.-enamide with CO and H.sub.2 O or an organic hydroxyl compound to produce an N-acyl-.alpha.-amino acid or ester, respectively, the improvement comprising using as the .alpha.-enamide reactant, an .alpha.-enamide which has a chiral center that is essentially all L or D, thereby producing a reaction mixture containing diastereomeric N-acyl-.alpha.-amino acids or esters having two chiral centers, said mixture having essentially no enantiomeric pairs.

Abstract: This invention relates to new compounds of the formula: ##STR1## where each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 has zero to 10 C atoms, and no acetylenic unsaturation; each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is independently selected from H and hydrocarbyl; each of R.sup.4 and R.sup.

Abstract: A process for making a diamide of the formula ##STR1## by reacting a monoamide compound of the formula ##STR2## with CO and an amine or ammonia of the formula R.sub.7 R.sub.8 NH in the liquid phase under essentially anhydrous conditions at a temperature in the range from 120.degree. to 210.degree. C., where each of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 is selected independently from H and a C.sub.1 to C.sub.12 hydrocarbyl containing no ethylenic or acetylenic unsaturation.