Abstract: A process is provided for the production of 2-hydroxyphenyl lower alkyl ketones, e.g. 2-hydroxyacetophenone, by reacting phenol and a lower alkanoic acid, e.g. acetic acid or an ester of phenol and a lower alkanoic acid, e.g. phenyl acetate, in the presence of a silicalite catalyst containing about 700 to 14000 ppm of alumina, which has been calcined at least once from the as synthesized form. The reaction is preferably conducted in the vapor phase in the presence of an inert gas such as nitrogen.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of rhodium and iodine values and the separation of rhodium from corrosion metal salts in the manufacture of acetic acid by the carbonylation of methanol wherein the reaction mixture contains from about none to about 20 wt % of water, from about 2 to about 20 wt % of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal iodide, methanol, acetic acid, methyl iodide, and carbon monoxide which comprises: (1) removing at least a portion of the reaction solution from the reactor, (2) removing at least a portion of the product acetic acid from the portion in (1) by distillation, (3) adding an excess of methyl acetate to the product depleted material in (2) and heating the resultant mixture to a sufficiently high temperature to convert the methyl acetate to methyl iodide (4) removing the resulting methyl iodide by distillation, (5) continuing to heat the resulting mixture at a temperature and time sufficient to precipitate the rhodium as rhodium iodide, and (6) separating the rhodium iodide and returning it

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing iodide compounds from a non-aqueous organic medium, such as acetic acid. The medium is contacted with a macroreticulated strong-acid cation exchange resin which is stable in the organic medium and has at least one percent of its active sites converted to the silver or mercury form.

Abstract: A process of acylating a monocyclic phenolic reactant, e.g. phenol to a hydroxy aromatic ketone, e.g. 4-hydroxyacetophenone, by contacting the phenolic reactant with about 0.4 to 0.8 moles of a carboxylic acid anhydride, e.g. acetic anhydride as acylating agent per mole of phenolic reactant of in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst, e.g. hydrogen fluoride. The process generally results in phenolic reactant conversions of at least about 80% and reaction selectivities to hydroxy aromatic ketone of at least about 70%.

Abstract: Naphthalene substituted in the 2- or .beta.-position with an electron-donating substituent can be acylated with high regioselectivity in the 6-position by using an acylating agent in substantially anhydrous hydrogen fluoride which functions both as catalyst and solvent.

Abstract: N-acyl-acyloxy aromatic amines, e.g. 4-acetoxyacetanilide (AAA), are prepared by reacting a hydroxy aromatic ketone, e.g. 4-hydroxyacetophenone, with hydroxylamine or a hydroxylamine salt and a base to obtain the ketoxime of the ketone, e.g. 4-hydroxyacetophenone oxime, and then subjecting the ketoxime to a Beckmann rearrangement and accompanying acylation by contacting the ketoxime with a carboxylic acid anhydride and a Beckmann rearrangement catalyst to form the N-acyl-acyloxy aromatic amine.

Abstract: 4-Acetoxyacetanilide is produced by subjecting phenyl acetate to a Fries rearrangement or phenol and an acetylating agent to a Friedel-Crafts acetylation to form 4-hydroxyacetophenone which is then reacted with hydroxylamine or a hydroxylamine salt to form 4-hydroxyacetophenone oxime. The oxime is then subjected to a Beckmann rearrangement and accompanying acetylation with acetic anhydride to form the 4-acetoxyacetanilide.

Abstract: An improvement for manufacturing paraformaldehyde prills from an aqueous solution of formaldehyde which comprises polymerizing the formaldehyde in the presence of a catalyst of sodium hydroxide in a concentration of from about 0.5 to about 5 ppm, aging the resulting mixture at about 100.degree. to about 130.degree. C. for about 10 to about 60 minutes, spraying the aged mixture into a prilling tower at from about 100.degree. to about 130.degree. C., collecting the prills in a fluidized bed at the base of the tower at from about 45.degree. to about 60.degree. C., removing the prills to a separate vessel where the prills further polymerize and dry at from about 15.degree. to about 30.degree. C. for about 3 to about 5 hours while operating the vessel in a plugged flow manner, and collecting the resulting prills.

Abstract: N-acyl-hydroxy aromatic amines, e.g. N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP), are prepared by reacting a hydroxy aromatic ketone, e.g. 4-hydroxyacetophenone, with a hydroxylamine salt and a base to obtain the ketoxime of the ketone, e.g. 4-hydroxyacetophenone oxime, and then subjecting the ketoxime to a Beckmann rearrangement in the presence of a catalyst to form the N-acyl-hydroxy aromatic amine.

Abstract: A method to enhance the reactivity of cellulose-containing materials to cellulase enzymes by treating an aqueous suspension of the material with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a Mn.sup.+2 ion forming manganese compound.