Abstract: A process for the recovery of isobutylene as tertiary butyl alcohol from a stream of C.sub.4 hydrocarbons comprising contacting the stream with an aqueous acid solution comprising from 50 to 80 wt % hydrocarbyl sulfonic acid, recovering from the resultant mixture an aqueous acid phase containing tertiary butyl alcohol and recovering from the acid phase the product tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: A process for producing tert-butanol by selective hydration of isobutylene in a hydrocarbon mixture comprising isobutylene and n-butene where an aqueous solution is used which contains a heteropolyacid, characterized in that the hydration reaction of isobutylene is carried out at a temperature of less than 100.degree. C.

Abstract: Olefins such as ethylene and propylene are hydrated in the liquid phase at elevated temperature and superatmospheric pressure to the corresponding alkanols in an aqueous reaction medium containing a catalytically effective amount of at least one substantially water-insoluble olefin hydration catalyst in the form of solid particles substantially uniformly distributed therein.

Abstract: New bis-thioaralkyl/alkyl alkyl boranes for use in hydroboration and reduction reactions are disclosed. They have the formula:R.sub.4 R.sub.3 HB:R.sub.1 SASR.sub.2 :BHR.sub.3 R.sub.4wherein:A stands for a straignt, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon chain containing from 1 to 9 carbon atoms,R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 stand each for a straight or branched alkyl rest containing up to 5 carbon atoms in the longest chain, or benzyl radicals optionally substituted by one or more lower alkyl containing up to 5 carbon atoms or a halogen, andR.sub.3 and R.sub.4 stand for a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl up to C.sub.6 or a mono or bicycloalkyl group.

Abstract: An improved process for making an alcohol by hydration of an olefin in the presence of a cation exchange resin in the acid form as catalyst and in the presence of a solvent for the reactants and product alcohol, wherein the solvent and reactants are introduced to the reactor as a single homogeneous phase to a first-stage reactor. Part of the olefin is added to a second-stage reactor. The effluent from the second stage is passed to a third-stage reactor and the unreacted olefin and solvent from the third-stage effluent are recycled to the first-stage reactor after removal of substantially all of the product alcohol. The process provides improved conversions and yields and enables the use of smaller amounts of solvent.

Abstract: A continuous method for producing tert-butyl alcohol from water and isobutylene in the presence of a strongly acidic cation exchange resin as a catalyst is characterized by: said catalyst particles being filled in a reactor, a liquid isobutylene being continuously brought into contact with water such that said liquid isobutylene is filled in a continuous phase in the gaps between said catalyst particles, and that water streams downwardly along the surface of said catalyst particle and subsequently the reaction mixture being continuously taken out from the reactor. According to the method of this invention, tert-butyl alcohol is obtained in a high yield with little formation of by-products.

Abstract: An improved process for hydrating with liquid water over a solid catalyst and with a liquid solvent a liquid iso-olefin selected from the group consisting of C.sub.4 iso-olefins and C.sub.5 iso-olefins to form a corresponding product alcohol in the liquid state. The improvement comprises maintaining the liquid iso-olefins, the solvent, and the water in a single liquid phase in order to increase the conversion percentage of the iso-olefin to the corresponding alcohol.

Abstract: An improved process for the preparation of tertiary butyl alcohol comprising passing isobutene and water in a molar ratio of water to isobutene in the range of 0.06 to 0.24 : 1 or preferably less than 0.2 : 1 through a fixed bed acidic cation exchange resin, producing only a hydrocarbon phase, removing the hydrocarbon phase, splitting the hydrocarbon phase, and recycling a portion thereof to the reaction. The recycle provides the means to control the temperature of the reaction by cooling the recycle, and suppresses or inhibits the production of isobutene polymers.