Abstract: A process for producing 1,9-nonanedial which comprises hydroformylating 7-octen-1-al with a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in an aqueous sulfolane or 1,4-butanediol solution in the presence of a rhodium complex and the sodium, potassium or lithium salt of m-(diphenylphosphino)benzenesulfonic acid, extracting 1,9-nonanedial from the reaction mixture with a primary alcohol or a mixture of a primary alcohol and a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon, and recycling the extraction residue containing the catalyst components to the 7-octen-1-al hydroformylation step.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of producing 1,9-nonanedial and/or 9-hydroxy-7-nonen-1-al which comprises reacting 2,7-octadien-1-ol with a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in an organic solvent in the presence of a rhodium catalyst and 30-300 equivalents of a monodentate tertiary organic phosphorus compound in per gram atom of rhodium at a hydrogen partial pressure of 0.5-20 kg/cm.sup.2 (absolute) and a carbon monoxide partial pressure of 0.1-5.0 kg/cm.sup.2 (absolute).

Abstract: n-Octanol is obtained by (i) reacting butadiene with water in a solution containing water, a carbonate and/or bicarbonate salt of a monodentate tertiary amine, and sulpholane in the presence of a palladium compound and a hydrophilic monodentate phosphine, to form 2,7-octadien-1-ol; (ii) extracting 2,7-octadien-1-ol from at least part of the reaction mixture obtained in step (i) with a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon, a monoolefinic hydrocarbon or an alicyclic hydrocarbon, and recycling the extraction residue to the 2,7-octadien-1-ol synthesis step (i); (iii) subjecting the extract layer containing 2,7-octadien-1-ol as obtained in step (ii) to distillation to distill off a large proportion of the extracting solvent therefrom, followed by distillation in the presence of water, whereby the extracting solvent remaining is distilled off in the form of an azeotropic mixture with water, to obtain a distillation residue; (iv) recovering 2,7-octadien-1-ol from the distillation residue obtained in step (iii) by distill

Abstract: A process for preparing n-octadienol comprising the steps of:(i) reacting butadiene with water in an aqueous sulfolane solution having a water/sulfolane weight ratio in the range of 20/80 to 70/30 and containing carbonate and/or bicarbonate ions in the presence of (A) palladium or a palladium compound, (B) a monodentate phosphine of the formula: ##STR1## [wherein R.sup.1 is an aliphatic, alicyclic or substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; R.sup.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved process for producing alkadienes which comprises (1) contacting butadiene or isoprene with a catalyst such as platinum or palladium or a compound of one of said metals in a sulfolane solution, in the presence of a tertiary lower alkylamine formate and at least one phosphine compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1-10 hydrocarbon group; R.sup.2 is H, a saturated aliphatic C.sub.1-5 hydrocarbon group, nitro or halogen; m is 1, 2 or 3; n is 0 or 1; x is 0, 1 or 2; y and z each is 0, 1, 2 or 3 (provided that y and z are not zero concurrently and x+y+z=3); A is --SO.sub.3 M wherein M is a cation selected from among H, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and NH.sub.4 or the formate or an inorganic acid salt of ##STR2## wherein R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each means a saturated aliphatic C.sub.

Abstract: Polyoxyalkylene compounds having at least four oxyalkylene units and one or two terminal hydroxyl groups are etherified by reacting same with organic primary chlorides or bromides in the presence of an aqueous, at least 30% by weight solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide to produce the corresponding etherified polyoxyalkylene derivatives. The molar ratio of the organohalide to the hydroxyl group(s) of the polyoxyalkylene compound is at least 1.2, and the molar ratio of the alkali metal hydroxide to such hydroxyl group(s) is at least 1.

Abstract: An industrially suitable process for producing a higher carbonyl compound by the oxidation of an olefinic compound having at least six carbon atoms is provided. Said improved process comprises oxidizing the olefinic compound in aqueous medium containing palladium or salt thereof and a copper salt in the presence of a specific water-soluble polyoxyalkylene compound in an amount of from about 1/4 to about 3 parts by weight per 1 part by weight of water contained in the reaction mixture. The improvement is demonstrated in terms of yield, selectivity, separation of the product, and recycle of the catalyst.