Abstract: A process is described for the production of substantially pure gamma-butyrolactone from a feed mixture containing a major amount of gamma-butyrolactone and a minor amount of diethyl succinate which comprises fractionally distilling the mixture in a fractionation zone in the presence of added diethyl maleate and recovering from the fractionation zone an overhead vaporous product comprising gamma-butyrolactone which is substantially free from diethyl succinate and a liquid bottom product comprising diethyl maleate and diethyl succinate in admixture one with another. This procedure can be used to separate a gamma-butyrolactone rich fraction obtained by distillation in one or more stages of a crude reaction product obtained by hydrogenation of a C.sub.

Abstract: A continuous process for the production an aldehyde by hydroformylation of an optionally substituted alpha-olefin comprises:providing a hydroformylation zone containing a charge of a liquid reaction medium having dissolved therein a complex rhodium hydroformylation catalyst comprising rhodium in complex combination with carbon monoxide and with a cyclic phosphite having a bridgehead phosphorus atom linked to three oxygen atoms at least two of which form together with the bridgehead phosphorus atom part of a ring;supplying said alpha-olefin to the hydroformylation zone;maintaining temperature and pressure conditions in the hydroformylation zone conducive to hydroformylation of the alpha-olefin;supplying make-up hydrogen and carbon monoxide to the hydroformylation zone; andrecovering from the liquid hydroformylation medium a hydroformylation product comprising at least one aldehyde.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying a coherent curtain of cooling liquid comprises a generally rectangular nozzle with an inlet and an outlet, the nozzle being divided into a multiplicity of individual passages extending in the direction between the inlet and the outlet, a header for introducing liquid coolant to the inlet of the nozzle and a slider displaceable beneath the passages to close off those above the slider and a body carried at the inwards end of the slider providing further passages constituting extensions to those above them and the outer ones of the further passages are inclined outwardly to cause the curtain to diverge as it leaves the nozzle.