Abstract: A method for producing a sucrose fatty acid ester, which comprises subjecting sucrose and a lower alkyl ester of fatty acid to an ester exchange reaction in an organic solvent in the presence of an alkali catalyst to produce the corresponding sucrose fatty acid ester, wherein from 5 to 35 wt %, based on the starting material sucrose, of an alkali metal salt of a hydroxycarboxylic acid of the following formula (1) is present in the reaction system: ##STR1## wherein R is a lower alkyl group or a carboxyl group, X is a hydrogen atom or a carboxyl group, each of 1 and n is 0 or 1, and m is 1 or 2.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a salt of fatty acid ester of hydroxycarboxylic acid, which comprises subjecting a fatty acid ester of lower alcohol and an alkaline metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt of hydroxycarboxylic acid to ester interchange in an organic solvent in the presence of a nonionic or anionic surface active agent and an alkali catalyst. The highly pure salt of fatty acid ester of hydroxycarboxylic acid obtained by the separation and purification of the reaction product exhibits a remarkably excellent surface activating ability as compared with the existing commercial products.

Abstract: A process for producing a sucrose fatty acid ester wherein the sucrose fatty acid ester is recovered from a reaction mixture prepared by reacting sucrose with a fatty acid alkyl ester in the presence of an alkali catalyst by using dimethyl sulfoxide as a reaction solvent, the process comprising: (i) subjecting the reaction mixture to a first liquid-liquid extraction by using a hardly water-miscible organic solvent, which is selected from an alcohol having at least 4 carbon atoms and a ketone having at least 4 carbon atoms, and water as extractants, with regulating the pH value of an aqueous phase to 3 to 7.

Abstract: A process for preparing a sucrose fatty acid ester having a low degree of substitution, comprising heat-melting a sucrose fatty acid ester (A) having an average degree of substitution of from 3 to 8 and sucrose or a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) having a lower degree of substitution than that of said sucrose fatty acid ester (A) in the presence of an alkali catalyst and a soap; and a process for preparing a sucrose fatty acid ester having a high degree of substitution comprising a first step of heat-melting a sucrose fatty acid ester (A) having an average degree of substitution of from 3 to 8 and sucrose or a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) having a lower degree of substitution than that of said sucrose fatty acid ester (A) in the presence of an alkali catalyst and a soap and a second step of reacting the resulting molten mixture with a fatty acid lower alkyl ester are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for producing a carbonic acid ester, which comprises reacting an aliphatic alcohol with carbon monoxide and oxygen in the presence of 1 a platinum group metal or its salt, 2 metal copper, a copper salt or a copper complex, 3 at least one member selected from the group consisting of alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts, and 4 a 2-hydroxypyridine.

Abstract: An improving method for producing alkadienols by reaction of conjugated alkadiene and water in the presence of carbon dioxide and a catalyst composed of a palladium compound and phosphine (or phosphite), wherein the by-products having high boiling point and the palladium catalyst are efficiently separated from the reaction product for re-use without impairing their effectiveness as the catalyst.

Abstract: A process for producing a sucrose fatty acid polyester comprises reacting sucrose with fatty acid lower alcohol ester(s) in a solvent in the presence of an alkaline catalyst, wherein said fatty acid lower alcohol ester(s) are employed in an amount at least 5 times by mol as much as said sucrose. The alkaline catalyst component is removed from the reaction product thus obtained and the obtained sucrose fatty acid polyester-containing solution is catalytically treated with activated clay. This process enables the production of a sucrose fatty acid polyester containing an extremely small amount of ash components and having an extremely low color value. The alkaline catalyst used in this process may be recovered and reused, which further makes the process of the present invention advantageous.

Abstract: A process for the production of cinnamic acid esters which is characterized by reacting a styrene with an aliphatic alcohol of 1-4 carbon atoms, carbon monoxide and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst comprising (a) a palladium metal or a compound thereof, (b) a salt of copper or iron, (c) a salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, (d) an organic acid and (e) a halogen compound.