Abstract: A vapor-phase carbonylation method for producing esters and carboxylic acids from reactants comprising lower alkyl alcohols, lower alkyl alcohol generating compositions and mixtures thereof. The method includes contacting the reactants and carbon monoxide in a carbonylation zone of a carbonylation reactor under vapor-phase conditions with a catalyst having a catalytically effective amount of platinum and tin associated with a solid carrier material.

Abstract: A process for purifying p-phenylenediamine color developers in their free-base form. The process includes subjecting a solution containing p-phenylenediamine-type free base color developer to short path distillation which includes at least one of falling film evaporator, thin film evaporator, wiped film evaporator, or short-path evaporator. Another aspect is a method for preparing an acid salt from a p-phenylenediamine free base color developer. The method includes the steps of: a) dissolving a purified p-phenylenediamine free base derived from the short path distillation process in an organic solvent; b) contacting the dissolved free base distillate with an appropriate mineral acid; and c) crystallizing the color developer in the acid salt form.

Abstract: A process for making a crosslinked branched polyester gel from at least two pregel compositions comprising: a) reacting precursor repeat units formed from (1) at least one polyol having three or more hydroxyl groups or esters thereof, (2) at least one aliphatic or aromatic polyfunctional acid or ester thereof, or a mixture thereof; and (3) optionally at least one long chain aliphatic carboxylic acid or ester thereof, or aromatic monocarboxylic acid or ester thereof, or mixture thereof, to substantial completion in separate reactors to produce in a first reactor a first composition comprising a pre-gel having carboxyl end groups and to produce in a second reactor a second composition comprising a pre-gel having hydroxyl end groups, b) combining the first and second compositions to form a mixture; and c) processing the mixture in an extruder, a continuous processor, or a container to convert the mixture into a crosslinked branched polyester gel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making a high molecular weight pre-gel for a cross-linked branched polyester comprising: a) reacting polyester precursor repeat units via condensation polymerization in a continuous or semi-continuous, or batch reactor stage to form a low molecular weight pre-gel; and b) further reacting the low molecular weight pre-gel via condensation polymerization in a continuous thin-film reactive vacuum processing stage to form a high molecular weight pre-gel.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method of extracting arabinoxylan from corn fiber wherein the method comprises the steps of: (a) heating an aqueous mixture of corn fiber and a liquid; (b) contacting the mixture of step (a) with a protease enzyme, thereby providing a proteolyzed corn fiber and a liquid; (c) separating the liquid from the proteolyzed corn fiber; (d) contacting the proteolyzed corn fiber at least once with an alkaline extractant, thereby providing an insoluble cellulose material and a liquid comprising arabinoxylan; (e) separating the insoluble cellulose material from the liquid comprising arabinoxylan; and (f) reducing the volume of the liquid comprising arabinoxylan by removing excess alkaline extractant, thereby providing a concentrated liquid comprising from about 10% to about 50% solids, wherein the solids comprise arabinoxylan. In a further aspect, the invention provides methods of preparing novel arabinoxylan esters and ethers.

Abstract: A process for preparing a halohydrin of a water-miscible olefin comprising: reacting a water-miscible olefin in water with a compound of the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently represent a branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted, lower alkyl having from 1 to 5 carbons and X is a halogen, to thereby form the halohydrin of the water-miscible olefin.