Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for in-situ preparation of alumina—(Ti,Zr) borides composite. The present invention particularly relates to fast and in-situ process for synthesis and consolidation of Al2O3—Zr/Ti B2 composites of approximate-95% density with controlled grain-growth in the range of less than or the order of 5 micrometer or less grain size using a dynamic Self propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) process.

Abstract: A natural inexpensive acyclic monoterpene ketone (dihydrotagetone) of formula (4), isolated from the oil of Tagetes sp., was smoothly oxidized with meta-periodate/potassium permanganate into 2,6-dimethyl-4-oxo-heptanoic acid of formula (3), the reduction of 3 with metal hydride such as sodium borohydride or lithium aluminium hydride provided 4-hydroxyacid of formula (2) which on without isolation undergone lactonisation in acidic medium furnished two chiral centered 5-isobutyl-3-methyl-4,5-dihydro-2(3H)-furanone of formula (1) as an analogue of whisky lactone 5-butyl-4-methyl-4,5-dihydro-2(3H)-furanone of formula (1a) responsible for high quality of alcoholic beverage (whisky, wine, brandy and scotch), in addition, coconut flavoured 5-butyl-4-methyl-4,5-dihydro-2(3H)-furanone of formula (1) is also as an analogue of coconut aldehyde (&ggr;-nonalactone, F.E.M.A. No. 2751) of formula (1b) which is responsible for flavouring a wide range of food stuffs including baked goods and confectionery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of high grade synthetic rutile from ilmenite with pig iron as a by-product. The process comprises subjecting ilmenite to reduction with coal, cooling and removing unreacted coal to obtain a product having 80-95% metallization, smelting the metallized ilmenite mixed with less than 10% carbon (w/w) in a transferred arc plasma using arc current, under flow of inert gas for a fixed time. The metal is then separated as pig iron and TiO2 as slag, the slag ground followed by oxidation at high temperature in the presence of an oxidizing gas, the oxidized product being leached with dilute HCl followed by filtration, washing and drying to obtain synthetic rutile.