Abstract: A continuous, liquid phase method for producing a polymer having a predetermined number of conjugated diene units per molecule in which (a) a first monomer stream is contacted with an organo-lithium compound, in a manner to intimately mix increments of monomer, containing the predetermined number of moles of conjugated diene, with each mole of organo-lithium and continuously mix and move the mixture through a first, elongated reaction zone to react the predetermined number of moles of conjugated diene with one mole of organo-lithium, (b) mixing the effluent from (a) with an alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, an organo-alkali metal of potassium, rubidium or cesium and a tertiary amine to form a complex-initiator of the aromatic hydrocarbon, the alkali metal and the amine, (c) mixing the effluent from (b) with a second stream of monomer, in a manner to intimately mix increments of monomer, containing the predetermined number of moles of conjugated diene, with each mole of complex-initiator and continuously

Abstract: A method for the conversion of C.sub.3 and C.sub.4 hydrocarbons to less saturated hydrocarbons, such as ethylene and propylene and particularly ethylene, includes contacting the feed hydrocarbons with mixed oxides comprising a major proportion of magnesium and a minor proportion of manganese, preferably under conditions which selectively convert the feed hydrocarbons to ethylene and ethane and particularly ethylene, including a temperature between about 625.degree. C. and 850.degree. C. The method is preferably carried out in the presence of steam at a mole ratio of steam/hydrocarbon of less than about 10:1. Selectivity to ethylene and ethane and particularly ethylene is improved and the life of the catalyst, during which the desired selectivity is attained, is extended by adding a promoting amount of at least one oxide of calcium, barium, strontium, tin and antimony. Further improvement can be obtained by limiting the amount of bound or fixed sulfur in the catalyst.

Abstract: A method for the oxidative conversion of a feed material comprising methane, such as natural gas, to higher hydrocarbons, particularly ethylene and ethane and desirably ethylene, in which feed is contacted with a solid contact material comprising cobalt; at least one metal selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zinc, niobium, indium, lead and bismuth, preferably, zirconium; phosphorous; at least one Group IA metal; and oxygen under oxidative conversion conditions sufficient to convert the methane to the higher hydrocarbons. Substantial improvement in the conversion of methane and selectivity to ethylene and ethane is obtained by adding chlorine to the contact material. The further addition of sulfur to the contact material also improves the conversion and selectivity and permits the method to be carried out in an essentially continuous manner in the presence of a free oxygen containing gas.

Abstract: A method for the recovery of mineral resources, such as metallic minerals, petroleum, etc., from solid materials, such as subsurface earth formations, including; partially burning a hydrogen-containing fuel in the presence of an oxidizing agent under conditions to produce partial oxidation products, such as alcohols, hydrogen peroxide, aldehydes, ketones, etc., terminating the burning to prevent decomposition of the partial oxidation products and contacting the solid materials with the partial oxidation products and contacting the solid materials with the partial oxidation products and an alkaline or acidic material.

Abstract: A mixture of a dessicant-antifreeze, water and significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide is fractionated to produce a first vapor phase predominating in dessicant-antifreeze and hydrogen sulfide and a first liquid phase of essentially purified water and the first vapor phase is contacted with a stripping gas, inert with respect to the dessicant-antifreeze, to produce a second gas phase predominating in stripping gas and the hydrogen sulfide and a liquid phase of essentially purified dessicant-antifreeze. The first gas phase is preferably cooled and separated into the third liquid phase predominating in dessicant-antifreeze and a third vapor phase containing the remainder of the hydrogen sulfide and the third liquid phase is utilized as the feed to the stripping step. In the latter embodiment the second and third gas phases are combined and utilized as previously indicated.