Abstract: Azines, e.g., ketazines, are continuously produced by (i) establishing a loop having an azine reaction medium circulating therein, such loop including an azine reaction zone, means for separating azine final product from the circulating reaction medium, means for heating the reaction medium and for purging water therefrom, and means for recycling heated and purged reaction medium to the azine reaction zone, (ii) introducing hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and a carbonyl compound into the circulating reaction medium in the azine reaction zone, (iii) withdrawing azine final product thus formed from the circulating reaction medium. downstream of the azine reaction zone, (iii) thereafter purging water from the circulating reaction medium to maintain the volume thereof essentially constant, (iv) heating the circulating reaction medium to a temperature of at least 130° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to the preparation of halogenated imides derived from hydrazine, a halogen and a dicarboxylic acid anhydride and capable of being employed as fireproofing agents for plastics.A dicarboxylic acid anhydride is halogenated with bromine, chlorine or a mixture thereof and then the product thus obtained is subsequently reacted with hydrazine. No prior purification or isolation of the intermediate halogenated anhydride is required.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons, e.g., ethylene, are steady-state catalytically oxychlorinated into chlorocarbons, e.g., 1,2-dichloroethane, by fluidizing a fluidizable charge by directing a gaseous feedstream containing a hydrocarbon therethrough and therein oxychlorinating such hydrocarbon, the gaseous feedstream further comprising an oxygen-containing gas and gaseous hydrochloric acid and the fluidizable charge comprising immixture of a catalytically effective amount of an oxychlorination catalyst and particles of a catalytically and chemically inert solid substance, and which further comprises introducing a solution or suspension of a catalytically active copper compound into such fluidized charge during the oxychlorination reaction.

Abstract: Novel thermoplastic polymer alloys adopted for easy conversion, e.g., by injection molding or extrusion techniques, into useful shaped articles having improved mechanical properties, for example, high impact strengths, include a polyamide, e.g., nylon 6 or nylon 12, a thermoplastic elastomer, e.g., ABS, MBS or EPDM, and a polyetheramide, advantageously a polyetheresteramide.

Abstract: Use of at least one heteropolyacid H.sub.n A.sub.a D.sub.c O.sub.y.xH.sub.2 O where A is phosphorus, boron, silicon, germanium, tin, arsenic, antimony, copper, nickel, cobalt, iron, cerium, thorium, chromium and mixtures thereof; D is molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium and combinations thereof; a is 0.1-10; c is 6-18; n is the number of acidic hydrogens in the heteropolyacid and is a number above 1; y is the number of oxygens in the heteropolyacid and is a number of 10-70; and x is the number of moles of water of crystal-lisation and is a number of 0-40, as catalyst in the preparation of esters of unsaturated carboxylic acids by direct esterification of acids with alcohols or by transesterification, these reactions being carried out in the liquid phase.

Abstract: Ceramic preforms comprising monocrystalline hexagonal platelets of .alpha.-alumina, well adopted for conversion into refractory bricks or ceramic composites, are prepared by crystallizing a settled fine powder of amorphous alumina, transition alumina or alumina hydrate, advantageously in the presence of a fluoro-compound flux, into a coherent mass of such hexagonal platelets of .alpha.-alumina.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a star shaped block polymer of formula (PA--PB--PC).sub.n --N--(PD--PE).sub.m wherein PA, PB and PC are respectively vinylaromatic/methacrylic blocks, acrylic blocks and methacrylic blocks. PD is a polymer block selected from vinylaromatic and/or methacrylic monomer units, PE is an acrylic polymer block, n is 2 to 20 and m is 0 to 18 with the proviso that m+n is .ltoreq.20. The process proceeds by anionic polymerization in the presence of a monofunctional initiator of formula (II),(R).sub.p --Mwherein M is an alkali or alkaline earth metal, p is 1 or 2 and R is a straight or branched alkyl radical having 2 to 6 carbon atoms or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 substituted alkyl radical.

Abstract: Otherwise malodorous animal feeds are deodorized by treating same with an effective foodstuff deodorizing amount of polyoxyalkylene ester of undecylenic acid.

Abstract: A thermal process for cracking 1,2-dichloroethane to form vinyl chloride comprising heating 1,2-dichloroethane in a reaction zone at a temperature between 300.degree. and 650.degree. C. under an absolute pressure between 1 and 40 bars; said heating being conducted in the presence of hydrochloric acid.

Abstract: Thiocyanoalkyl esters of hydroxy-substituted (meth)acrylic acids are prepared by a process which includes the step of reacting an acrylic compound with an aldehyde of the formula CHOHR' wherein R' is a straight-chain or branched alkyl optionally substituted by hydroxyl, alkoxy or ester substitutents; straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkenyl; aryl radicals, optionally substituted by halogen, nitro or alkoxy, unsaturated heterocyclic radicals; alkylaryl; or arylalkyl radicals.

Abstract: Novel N-substituted maleimide homopolymers having a number-average molecular weight ranging from 12,000 to about 100,000 are prepared by anionically polymerizing an N-substituted maleimide monomer, in solvent phase, in the presence of at least one organometallic polymerization initiator which comprises sec-butyllithium, a sodium alcoholate, diphenylmethylpotassium, naphthalenelithium or naphthalenesodium, and novel N-substituted maleimide homopolymers having a polydispersity index ranging from 1.1 to 1.5 are prepared by anionically polymerizing an N-substituted maleimide monomer, in solvent phase, in the presence of at least one alkali metal organometallic polymerization initiator and at least one inorganic or organic salt of an alkali or alkaline earth metal; novel block copolymers include blocks of the above maleimido homopolymers and, e.g., blocks of an acrylic or methacrylic polymer.

Abstract: Compounds represented by the formulae (I) and (II) in which:R.sup.1 =H or CH.sub.3 ;X=O or S;R.sup.2 =C.sub.1-12 straight-chain or branched alkylene groups, monocyclic or polycyclic cycloalkylene and heterocycloalkylene groups, alkylarylene and arylalkylene groups;R.sup.6 =H or C.sub.1-12 alkyl and aryl radicals;R.sup.3 =C.sub.1-20 alkyl and aryl radicals, --(CH.sub.2).sub.p SR.sup.4 groups where p=integer from 2 to 12 and R.sup.4 =C.sub.1-20 alkyl, and ##STR1## where q is an integer from 2 to 12 and R.sup.5 =H or CH.sub.3.

Abstract: These copolymers are denoted by the formulae: ##STR1## P.sub.1, P.sub.2 =vinyl or dienic (p with a value of 1), or polyoxyalkylene, polyester or polyamide (p with a value of 0) polymer block;A=(1) ##STR2## with R.sub.1 denoting, among others, alkyl; (2) ##STR3## where E, G, J have various meanings; (3) ##STR4## M, joined to D, having the value ##STR5## h, i, Q and R having various meanings; D=a single bond or (cyclo)alkylene or arylene group;n=1 to 20.These polymers are iniferters in radical polymerization of vinyl monomers. The macroiniferters (I) and the polyiniferters (II) result, respectively, in triblock copolymers PA--PB--PA and diblock copolymers .paren open-st.PA--PB.paren close-st..sub.z a, z having a value from 2 to 25.

Abstract: Pulverulent coating compositions exhibiting excellent adhesion to metal substrates are formulated from a polyamide, e.g., nylon 6, nylon 11, nylon 12, or copolyamide thereof, and minor amounts of at least one phenolic polycondensate and/or at least one polyalkyl(meth)acrylate.

Abstract: Polyblend compositions well adopted for the production of a wide variety of useful shaped articles having improved physical/chemical properties, e.g., fibers, films, sheets, composites, and the like, comprise (a) at least one polyamide thermoplastic elastomer, e.g., a polyetheresteramide, and (b) at least one modified polyolefin, e.g, an optionally maleized copolymerizate of ethylene and vinyl acetate, a copolymerizate of ethylene and (meth)acrylic acid, a copolymerizate of ethylene, vinyl acetate and (meth)acrylic acid and/or an alkyl (meth)acrylate, a copolymerizate of ethylene, an alkyl (meth)acrylate and, optionally, maleic anhydride, or maleized SBS, SIS or SEBS.

Abstract: Ceramic preforms comprising monocrystalline hexagonal platelets of .alpha.-alumina, well adopted for conversion into refractory bricks or ceramic composites, are prepared by crystallizing a settled fine powder of amorphous alumina, transition alumina or alumina hydrate, advantageously in the presence of a fluoro-compound flux, into a coherent mass of such hexagonal platelets of .alpha.-alumina.

Abstract: Novel dielectric liquids for such electrical components as transformers, capacitors and cables, especially adopted for low temperature applications, comprise immixtures of benzyltoluene, (methylbenzyl)toluene, benzylxylene and (methylbenzyl)xylene, and optionally include the benzyl or methylbenzyl derivatives thereof; these immixtures are facilely prepared by chlorinating a mixture of xylene and toluene and then adding a catalytically effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst to the medium of chlorination.

Abstract: Novel N-substituted maleimide homopolymers having a number-average molecular weight ranging from 12,000 to about 100,000 are prepared by anionically polymerizing an N-substituted maleimide monomer, in solvent phase, in the presence of at least one organometallic polymerization initiator which comprises sec-butyllithium, a sodium alcoholate, diphenylmethylpotassium, naphthalenelithium or naphthalenesodium, and novel N-substituted maleimide homopolymers having a polydispersity index ranging from 1.1 to 1.5 are prepared by anionically polymerizing an N-substituted maleimide monomer, in solvent phase, in the presence of at least one alkali metal organometallic polymerization initiator and at least one inorganic or organic salt of an alkali or alkaline earth metal; novel block copolymers include blocks of the above maleimido homopolymers and, e.g., blocks of an acrylic or methacrylic polymer.

Abstract: Vinyl polymers, e.g., the homo- and copolyvinyl chlorides, are prepared in one or more stages, to a degree of conversion of at least 50%, by suspended emulsion polymerizing at least one vinyl monomer, e.g., vinyl chloride, said at least one monomer having dispersed therein finely divided droplets of an aqueous solution of at least one component of a polymerization initiating system, and wherein the amount of water in said aqueous solution constitutes at least 19%, and preferably at least 20% by weight of the at least one monomer.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an acrylic or methacrylic compound of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R is a hydrogen atom or methyl and n is an integer ranging from 2 to 20 inclusive, comprising reacting a halogeno-n-alkyl acrylate or methacrylate of the formula: ##STR2## in which n is as defined above and X is a halogen atom, with a thiocyanate salt in an organic solvent and in the presence of an effective phase-transferring amount of at least one phase-transfer agent.