Abstract: Synthesis of phenylserine ester (a) via benzaldehyde and glycine ester using serine hydroxymethyltransferase; and (b) via methyl benzoylacetate. Synthesis of hydroxy-aspartame or derivative by enzymatic coupling of phenylserine or derivative with aspartic acid or derivative. Hydrogenation of the coupled product to give as final product aspartame or analog with related processes and products.

Abstract: There is provided a substantially nonnesting corrugated catalytically active thin metal foil suitable for making a monolith which when encased in a housing and inserted in the exhaust line, e.g., an automobile exhaust line, will remove pollutants in the exhaust. The device is rendered substantially nonnesting by forming the corrugations according to guidelines and which corrugations are perpendicular to the longitudinal marginal edges of the metal foil. The pressure drop through the device is thus minimized and the necessity for a flat foil co-laminate is avoided.

Abstract: There is provided a fluid conduit comprising a housing, at least a pair of accordion folded corrugated thin metal elements disposed in the housing, and at least one longitudinally extending metal strut for reinforcing the core members against twisting and consequent axial displacement.

Abstract: A catalytic converter includes a metal honeycomb catalyst support which is anchored in a canister so that it cannot telescope or blow out. The honeycomb catalyst support is made by folding a strip of metal back and forth upon itself. The lines of folding are inclined to the perpendicular to the axis of the strip. The repeating sequence of the inclinations is left, right, right, left, etc. Folding the strip in this manner produces a honeycomb that has a taper in both of two directions so that it can be anchored in the canister. The canister has a taper which coincides with the taper of the honeycomb. The invention also includes a method and apparatus for making crease lines on the strip, so that the strip can be folded.

Abstract: There is provided a method for optimizing the stacking characteristics of a thin metal foil corrugated in a chevron pattern and folded in an accordion fashion or zig-zag manner to form a stack useful as a catalyst support member for catalytic converters for treating exhaust gases from internal combustion engines. This method provides a more stable and stronger stack.

Abstract: A method for making a corrugated thin metal strip wherein corrugations are linear and extend obliquely from one longitudinal marginal edge to the opposite longitudinal marginal edge of the strip. The invention involves passing the thin metal strip through corrugating rolls for impressing a series of single apex, V-shaped chevron corrugations into the surface of the metal strip. The rolling of the strip between the helical gears is done in such a way that the apex of the V-shaped chevron is the last portion to leave the corrugating rolls whereby the apex is in tension and enables metal strip to be split into two obliquely corrugated metal strips along the apices of the chevron.

Abstract: There is provided a process and apparatus for making, preferably continuously, a catalytic converter element or core especially adapted for the treatment of exhaust from an internal combustion engine, whether spark or compression ignited. The converter element may be a fan-folded or accordion folded thin metal strip or a spirally wound element which carries strongly adhered to the surface thereof a catalyst, e.g. a noble or precious metal catalyst such as platinum and/or palladium and/or rhodium. The metal strip entering the process is an aluminum coated ferritic ribbon between 0.001 and 0.003 inches thick, and 1 inch to 30 inches wide. The strip is preferably annealed and perforated at predetermined intervals. Thereafter, the strip is corrugated and given a washcoat of a refractory metal oxide which is calcined onto the surface. One or more precious metal catalysts are supplied and dried.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the vapor phase catalytic hydrogenation of at least one of di(lower alkyl) oxalate and lower alkyl glycolate in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising a carrier, which catalyst is suitable for the hydrogenation of alkyl oxalate and alkyl glycolate to ethylene glycol, wherein the improvement lies in preparing the catalyst by contacting the carrier with a cooper ammonium carbonate complex medium and reducing the catalytically-active copper moiety to its active copper form.

Abstract: Novel vicinal dioxyalkylene organometalates comprising a cation having a hydrocarbyl-containing substituent are disclosed. The vicinal dioxyalkylene organometalates can be reacted with water to yield alkylene glycols.

Abstract: A process is provided for the utilization of dialkyl carbonates formed as by-products in a continuous process for the synthesis of oxalic acid esters from nitrous acid esters and carbon monoxide and wherein the esters are subsequently used as intermediates in the production of commercially useful products, such as ethylene glycol. The process comprises contacting a mixture containing the by-product comprised of a dialkyl carbonate with an aqueous solution of a metal carbonate under hydrolyzing conditions whereby the dialkyl carbonate is converted to the corresponding alkanol and the metal carbonate is converted to metal bicarbonate. Upon distillation of the alkanol from the mixture the bicarbonate is converted back to the metal carbonate which can then be recycled from the bottoms to the hydrolyzing zone for use in further hydrolysis of by-product. The alkanol is recycled for use in the continuous process.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for selectively cleaving a polyalkylene glycol, e.g., diethylene glycol, containing at least one ether group therein at a carbon-to-oxygen covalent bond and independently at a carbon-to-carbon covalent bond by heating the polyalkylene glycol with molecular hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst containing ruthenium to produce at least one of monoethylene glycol monomethyl ether, monoethylene glycol and ethanol. The production rate of each of said monoethylene glycol monomethyl ether, monoethylene glycol and ethanol is at least about 10 moles/kilogram ruthenium/hour.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for selectively cleaving a polyalkylene glycol, e.g., diethylene glycol, containing at least one ether group therein at a carbon-to-oxygen covalent bond and independently at a carbon-to-carbon covalent bond by heating the polyalkylene glycol with molecular hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst containing iridium to produce at least one of monoethylene glycol monoethyl ether, monoethylene glycol monomethyl ether, monoethylene glycol and ethanol. Monoethylene glycol monoethyl ether can be produced in significant amounts by employing the process of this invention.

Abstract: An improved calcined hydrogenation catalyst shape which is useful for the catalysis of hydrogenation reactions in a tubular reactor is provided. The catalyst shape has an annular configuration with an open center core, and wherein the shape contains, as a reinforcing matrix distributed therein, up to about 50 percent by weight of milled glass fibers having specific dimensions and wherein the crush strength of the shape is vastly improved with little change in catalytic activity over the non-reinforced shape of comparable size. Additionally, when the shapes of the present invention are employed pressure-drop and diffusion problems are reduced. The catalyst shapes are particularly useful for the hydrogenation of alkyl oxalates to ethylene glycol whereby the reaction can be conducted at lower temperatures and hence by-product formation is minimized.

Abstract: Ceramic compositions comprising a ceramic material such as alumina, clay, a dispersant and a polymeric binder are prepared using as the polymeric binder a connected branch copolymer comprising a core segment, non-crosslinked branched polymer segments attached to the core segment and linear polymer segments connected to the branched polymer segments and bearing terminal groups capable of effecting hydrogen bonding. By using this form of polymeric binder, polymers of relatively high molecular weight can be used, thereby giving good green strength in the greenware, while still keeping the slurry viscosity relatively low.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the catalytic hydrogenation of at least one of di(lower alkyl) oxalate and lower alkyl glycolate in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising a carrier, which catalyst is suitable for the hydrogenation of alkyl oxalate and alkyl glycolate to ethylene glycol, wherein the carrier has a leachable iron content not greater than about 0.03%, by weight of the carrier.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the vapor phase catalytic hydrogenation of at least one of di(lower alkyl) oxalate and lower alkyl glycolate in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising a carrier, which catalyst is suitable for the hydrogenation of alkyl oxalate and alkyl glycolate to ethylene glycol, the improvement lies within the preparation of the catalyst by employment of catalysts comprising carriers having specific ranges of physical parameters, including average pore diameter and pore volume, which parameters are interrelated by a relative activity index.

Abstract: This invention relates to the manufacture of valuable alkane polyols by reacting oxides of carbon, such as carbon monoxide, with hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium carbonyl complex in homogeneous liquid phase mixture using a solvent mixture of tetraglyme and a sulfolane.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a potentiated nickel catalyst and its use for the catalytic amination of lower aliphatic alkane derivatives.

Abstract: Organoleptic oral hygiene compositions comprise an oral hygiene active component in a vehicle comprising a polyfunctional polyethylene glycol having a weight average molecular weight of about 800 to 1500 and from 3 to about 8 hydroxyl groups.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for preparing a diester of oxalic acid by contacting carbon monoxide and an ester of nitrous acid in the vapor state under a pressure in the presence of a special palladium supported catalyst.