Abstract: The invention relates to supports comprising inorganic oxide particles coated with magnesium chloride and a method for making them. The inorganic oxide has a mean particle diameter of less than 5 microns and is used as a seed to crystallize magnesium chloride from solution. The magnesium chloride-coated inorganic oxide is useful for supporting transition metal compounds; the supported transition metal compounds are used as catalysts for polymerizing olefins.

Abstract: A method for stabilizing menthyl lactate is disclosed. The method comprises combining water with a solution comprising menthyl lactate and a water-miscible organic solvent in amounts effective to precipitate menthyl lactate from the resulting aqueous mixture. The aqueous precipitation method is simple to practice, and it provides menthyl lactate having remarkably improved storage stability.

Abstract: A process for making terpene esters is disclosed. Reaction of a terpene alcohol with acetic anhydride in the presence of a high-boiling amine provides a terpene ester. Acetic acid, which is distilled from the reaction mixture as it forms can be recovered. The terpene ester is distilled from the high-boiling amine to provide a product that is substantially free of nitrogen-containing impurities. The reaction mixture can be reused for subsequent acylations. The simple, economical process gives high-quality terpene esters while avoiding waste-disposal issues of other common acylation procedures.

Abstract: Catalysts useful for epoxidizing olefins are disclosed. The catalysts comprise a vinylpyridine polymer and a titanium zeolite. Preferably, the vinylpyridine polymer encapsulates the titanium zeolite. The catalysts are easy to prepare and use, they are easy to recover and reuse, and they convert olefins to epoxides in good yields with high selectivity. Surprisingly, ring-opening reactions that form glycol or glycol ether by-products are minimized by using the vinylpyridine polymer-containing catalysts. The catalysts are valuable for making propylene oxide from propylene and hydrogen peroxide. Vinylpyridine polymer-encapsulated transition metals and their use to produce hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen is also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for making polyolefins are disclosed. One method comprises polymerizing an olefin in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a single-site complex, an agglomerated metal oxide/clay support-activator, and an ionic borate. Including an ionic borate with the support-activator provides an unexpected boost in catalyst activity and gives polyolefins with high molecular weight and improved comonomer incorporation. In another method of the invention, an olefin is polymerized in the presence of an indenoindolyl metal alkylated complex and an agglomerated metal oxide/clay support-activator. Use of alkylated indenoindolyl complexes with the support-activators provides improved activity compared with metal halides.

Abstract: A two-step aldol condensation process is disclosed. ?-Campholenic aldehyde (ACA) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) react in the presence of a base under conditions effective to produce a mixture comprising a high yield of ketol condensation products. Dehydration of the ketols in the presence of an organic sulfonic acid provides unsaturated ketones that are valuable intermediates for fragrance components for synthetic sandalwood products. Compared with the usual one-step, base-catalyzed approach, the two-step process increases the yield of all condensation products and maximizes production of the most valuable ketone isomers.

Abstract: A process for making monomenthyl esters of dicarboxylic acids is disclosed. Menthol reacts with a saturated, cyclic anhydride in the presence of a base catalyst under conditions effective to produce a mixture of mono- and bis-menthyl esters in which the molar ratio of mono- to bis-menthyl esters is enhanced compared with the ratio of esters produced in a similar uncatalyzed process.

Abstract: A two-step catalyst preparation method is disclosed. First, a support is combined with an indenoindolyl Group 3-10 metal complex and a first activator comprising an alkyl alumoxane to give a supported complex. The supported complex is subsequently combined with a second activator comprising an ionic borate to produce a borate-treated supported complex. Activating indenoindolyl metal complexes in this sequence surprisingly provides an exceptional activity boost compared with other ways of activating them with either or both types of activators.

Abstract: Resins comprising a relatively high-density, low-molecular-weight polyethylene component and a relatively low-density, high-molecular-weight ethylene copolymer component and methods of making the resins are disclosed. The rheological polydispersity of the high-density component exceeds that of either the resin or the low-density component. The resins are valuable for making films, sheets, coatings, pipes, fibers, and molded articles having a favorable balance of good stiffness and excellent environmental stress crack resistance.

Abstract: Ethylene and optional comonomers are polymerized in the presence of an organozinc compound and a catalyst system to produce an ethylene polymer. The catalyst system comprises a bridged indenoindolyl Group 3-10 transition metal complex and an activator. The organozinc compound is used in an amount effective to increase the polymer bulk density compared with that observed in the absence of the organozinc compound. The organozinc compound can also narrow the particle size distribution of the polymer and the wt. % of polyolefin chunks produced. The operability of processes utilizing bridged indenoindolyl metal complexes is enhanced while maintaining desirably high polyolefin molecular weights.

Abstract: A simple, high-yield process for making menthyl lactate (ML) is disclosed. Menthol and lactic acid react to produce a mixture comprising menthyl lactate and one or more higher lactoyl esters of ML. Hydrolysis of the esterification mixture follows in the presence of aqueous base under conditions effective to convert the higher lactoyl esters to menthyl lactate. Coincidentally, the conditions minimize hydrolysis of menthyl lactate to menthol, thereby maximizing the overall yield of ML.

Abstract: A method for purifying N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone is disclosed. The method comprises treating N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone with an alumina that desorbs less than 100 ?mol/g of isobutylene between 225° C. and 400° C. in a standard tert-butyl alcohol dehydration test. The method enables the removal of at least about 80% of amine impurities or at least about 60% of APHA color from the NMP at 4 bed volumes treated.

Abstract: A drycleaning method is disclosed. In the method, a composition that comprises at least about 85 wt. % dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether (DMM) is used. The limited solubility of water in DMM is ideal for drycleaning. The method provides good stain removal and fast drying while avoiding excessive fabric shrinkage or soil redeposition.

Abstract: A process for making N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) is disclosed. The process comprises dehydrating N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone (HEP) in the presence of a catalyst and added water. Adding an effective amount of water into the dehydration process reduces the amount of N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone (NEP) formed compared with the amount produced in the absence of the added water. Adding water can also sustain high conversions of HEP, minimize heavies formation, and improve selectivity to NVP. The process provides high-purity NVP and avoids a costly crystallization step.

Abstract: A method for purifying N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) is disclosed. The method comprises crystallizing NVP in the presence of added water to produce purified NVP crystals and a mother liquor, and then isolating the purified crystals. In a preferred method, 0.5 to 4 wt. % of water based on the amount of NVP to be purified is added, and the NVP crystals are washed with additional pure NVP, preferably NVP crystal melt, to give crystals having a purity greater than 99.99%. The method provides a fast, effective way to generate and isolate pure NVP in a single-stage crystallization.

Abstract: A drycleaning method is disclosed. In the method, a composition that comprises dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether (DPnP) and is essentially free of siloxanes or polysulfonic acids is used. The composition contains at least about 80 wt. % DPnP and up to about 15 wt. % of water. The method enables superior stain removal while avoiding excessive fabric shrinkage or soil redeposition.

Abstract: A method for purifying N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-pyrrolidone (HEP) is disclosed. The method comprises crystallizing crude HEP to produce HEP crystals and a mother liquor, and separating the HEP crystals from the mother liquor. In one method of the invention, crystallization is induced by adding an HEP seed crystal to the crude HEP. In a preferred method, the crystallization is performed in the presence of 1–4 wt. % of added water. HEP can be successfully crystallized to a purity greater than 99.9%.

Abstract: Catalysts useful for oxidation reactions are disclosed. The catalysts comprise a titanium zeolite, a transition metal, and a polymer, wherein at least one of the titanium zeolite or transition metal is encapsulated within a thin layer of the polymer. The catalysts are easy to prepare and use, they are easy to recover and reuse, and they provide good conversions in a variety of important oxidation processes, including propylene epoxidation. The invention includes a process which comprises oxidizing an organic compound in the presence of hydrogen, oxygen, and the catalyst, wherein the transition metal catalyzes formation of hydrogen peroxide in situ.

Abstract: Catalyst systems and methods for olefin polymerization are disclosed. The polymerizations are performed in the presence of a clathrochelate which comprises a transition metal ion and an encapsulating macropolycyclic ligand. At least one of the capping atoms of the macropolycyclic ligand is a Group 3–10 transition metal or a Group 13 atom. When a capping atom is a Group 3–10 transition metal, the clathrochelate can be used with an activator to polymerize olefins. When a capping atom is a Group 13 atom, the clathrachelate can be used as an activator for an olefin polumerization. Clathrochelates allow polyolefin markers to fine tune catalyst reactivity and polyolefin properties.

Abstract: A catalyst system useful for polymerizing olefins is disclosed. The catalyst system includes an organometallic complex that incorporates a Group 3 to 10 transition metal and a hydroxyl-depleted calixarene ligand that is chelated to the metal. Molecular modeling studies reveal that organometallic complexes incorporating such calixarene ligands, when combined with an activator such as MAO, should actively polymerize olefins.