Abstract: A process for producing alkenyl succinic anhydrides by the reaction of an olefin with maleic anhydride in the presence of alkyl succinic anhydride is provided. The alkenyl succinic anhydrides are valuable precursors for the preparation of alkyl succinic anhydrides.

Abstract: High purity alkyl glyoxylate is produced from complex mixtures containing alkyl glyoxylate, alkyl glycolate, water, alcohol and miscellaneous impurities. High purity alkyl glyoxylate is useful in the synthesis of alkyl glyoxylate polymers.

Abstract: Substituted-butanediperoxoic acids represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein R is alkyl of 6 to 18 carbon atoms or phenyl are useful oxidizing agents. These substituted-butanediperoxoic acids are useful as bleaching agents and disinfecting agents.

Abstract: Substituted-butanediperoxoic acids represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is alkyl of 6 to 18 carbon atoms or phenyl are useful oxidizing agents. These substituted-butanediperoxoic acids are useful as bleaching agents and disinfecting agents.

Abstract: Dialkyl glyoxylates useful as anionic surfactants are disclosed. The dialkyl glyoxylates are particularly effective in removing soils from fabrics under laundering conditions. Detergent compositions containing the dialkyl glyoxylates and detergency builders are disclosed.

Abstract: Novel monoalkyl oxybisacetates are attractively useful as surfactants, and particularly in detergent compositions.

Abstract: Acicular, crystalline calcium metaphosphate having a length to average diameter ratio of at least 10:1 can be prepared by forming a melt of materials used as a source of calcium, phosphorus and alkali metal, cooling the melt to about 550.degree. C. to about 970.degree. C., inducing acicular crystal formation, and recovering the acicular crystals. The diameters of the resultant acicular, crystalline calcium metaphosphates can average as small as 0.5 micron or smaller. Acicular, crystalline calcium metaphosphate can also be prepared with an average diameter of several microns and a length of several centimeters. Such acicular, crystalline calcium metaphosphates are useful in a number of applications, and particularly to prepare composites with organic polymeric materials.

Abstract: Asbestiform crystalline calcium M phosphate, where M is sodium or lithium, having a length to average diameter ratio of at least 5:1, can be prepared by forming a melt of a source of oxygen, calcium, phosphorus and M having a mole ratio of about 15 percent to about 30 percent M.sub.2 O, about 48 percent to about 60 percent P.sub.2 O.sub.5 and about 20 percent to about 37 percent CaO, cooling the melt within the range of about 500.degree. C. to about 750.degree. C. for a sufficient time to permit blocks of calcium M phosphate to form, and fiberizing the blocks into the asbestiform crystals. Such asbestiform crystalline calcium M phosphates are useful to prepare composites of organic polymeric materials.

Abstract: Various clay substances, such as kaolin, can be reversibly deflocculated by treating the flocculant clay slurry with a deflocculating amount of a polymer having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein n averages at least 4; M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, ammonium, and alkanol amine groups having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are individually any chemically stable group which stabilizes the polymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution. When the polymer depolymerizes, the clay slurry will reflocculate under agitated or quiescent conditions. The length of time that the slurry remains fluid depends on the pH, the concentration of the polymer, and the hydrolytic stability of the polymer.

Abstract: Ultraphosphoric acid containing a phosphorus to hydrogen ratio of greater than 1 can be prepared by bringing together in a reaction zone elemental phosphorus and a sufficient amount of oxygen in a free-oxygen containing gas to form phosphorus pentoxide, and a sufficient amount of water to form ultraphosphoric acid. The mole ratio of water to phosphorus pentoxide is maintained less than 1:1. Heat is removed from the product stream of the reaction zone to condense at least some of the ultraphosphoric acid which is then collected. In the preferred embodiment, a heat exchange fluid such as pressurized water is circulated through a cooling coil positioned to remove heat from the product stream of the reaction zone. The ultraphosphoric acid can be combined with water to provide polyphosphoric acid.

Abstract: A polymer having the average structure: ##STR1## wherein Y is a moiety containing 1 to about 20 carbon atoms randomly distributed along the polymer chain derived from a comonomer selected from the group consisting of aldehydes and epoxy compounds; p is 0 or 1; the product of q and n averages at least 4; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are individually any chemically stable group which stabilizes the polymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution; and Z is a mixture of H and members selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, ammonium and alkanol amine groups having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, is useful for the reversible deflocculation of clay slurries. In the preferred embodiments, p is 0 to provide a homopolymer, the product of q and n averages between about 10 and about 200, and Z is a mixture containing at least 1 percent H, the remainder being alkali metal, e.g., sodium.

Abstract: The alkali metal, ammonium and alkanol amine salts of acetal carboxylate polymers are known to be stable detergent builders and chelating agents which depolymerize in acid media making the polymer fragments more readily biodegradable in waste streams. Now, according to the present invention, the hydrolytic stability of an acetal carboxylate polymer can be controlled by bringing together under polymerization conditions an ester of glyoxylic acid and a polymerization initiator and adding to the termini of the resulting polymer end groups having substituents which are selected to be more electron withdrawing as the desired hydrolytic stability increases.

Abstract: Oral compositions such as mouth washes, toothpastes, other oral hygiene products, foods, beverages, chewing gums and the like containing certain bis(carboxyalkoxy)-butanedioic acid compounds inhibit dental calculus formation.

Abstract: Aqueous compositions useful as disinfectant hard-surface and general purpose household cleaners comprise:(a) from about 0.03 percent to about 20 percent by weight ortho-benzyl-para-chlorophenol;(b) from about 1.0 to about 2.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (a), of an alkali metal salt of an alkyl naphthalene sulfonic acid or mixtures thereof;(c) from about 0.03 to about 1.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (a), of a sulfobetaine surfactant;(d) from about 0.2 to about 0.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (c), of an anionic surfactant which is a C.sub.10 to C.sub.18 alkyl sulfate or mixtures thereof;(e) from about 0.02 to about 0.05 parts by weight, per combined parts by weight of Components (b), (c) and (d), of a detergency boosting acrylic copolymer.

Abstract: The trialkali metal salts of nitrilotriacetate are well known detergent builders. However, when hypochlorite bleach is added to the wash water it can oxidize the soluble uncomplexed nitrilotriacetate with the resultant loss of the beneficial effects of the use of such salts as a builder. Now, a method has been developed of protecting the desirable builder properties of the trialkali metal nitrilotriacetate in an aqueous solution containing active chlorine which comprises adding to the nitrilotriacetate a sufficient amount of trialkali metal imidodisulfate to protect at least some of the nitrilotriacetate from damage by the chlorine.

Abstract: Aqueous compositions useful as disinfectant hard-surface cleaners comprise:(a) from about 0.03 percent to about 20 percent by weight orthobenzyl-para-chlorophenol;(b) from about 1.0 to about 2.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (a), of an alkali metal salt of an alkyl naphthalene sulfonic acid or mixtures thereof;(c) from 0 to about 1.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (a), of a surfactant which is different from Component (b) selected from the group consisting of(1) anionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of water soluble organic sulfonates and sulfates;(2) sulfobetaine surfactants; and(3) mixtures thereof; and(d) from about 0.02 to about 0.05 parts by weight, per combined parts by weight of Components (b) and (c), of a detergency boosting acrylic copolymer.