Abstract: A melt-processable thermoplastic composition is described, which comprises a) 50-99.5 wt. % of a melt-processable thermoplastic polymer and b) 05-50 wt. % of a particulate polymer comprising the residues of a monomer mixture comprising 5-100 wt. % of MMA, at least 0-50% of an ethylenically unsaturated comonomer comprising at least one alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and 0-10 wt. % of a copolymerisable crosslink monomer said particles having a maximum dimension of 5 mm. The compositions have reduced surface gloss and may be useful for forming building components or in any other application in which a low gloss surface is required. A method of making the composition and its uses, for example its use as a capstock material, are also described.

Abstract: A process for the removal of formaldehyde species from a liquid carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid ester stream which forms a two-phase mixture with water is disclosed which comprises the step of subjecting the liquid organic mixture to at least one liquid liquid extraction stage wherein water is used as an extractant to produce an organic phase stream which is substantially formaldehyde free and an aqueous phase stream which contains substantially all of the formaldehyde in the output streams from the liquid liquid extraction. The process is particularly useful for reducing the formaldehyde content of a methyl methacrylate product stream.

Abstract: A method of preparing a compound (I) of general formula (R3—C)2P—L1—X—L2—P—(C—R3)2, in which R is independently a pendant, optionally substituted, organic group through which the group is linked to tertiary carbon atoms C; L1 and L2 are independently, a linking group selected from an optionally substituted lower alkylene chain connecting the respective phosphorous atom to the group X, and X is a bridging group comprising an optionally substituted aryl moiety to which the phosphorous atoms are linked on available adjacent carbon atoms; comprising: (i) reacting together a compound (II) of formula A—L1—X—L2—A, in which A is a halogen atom, with a metal M in a suitable solvent or form an intermediate compound (III) of formula: A—M—L1—X—L2—M—A; (ii) reacting said intermediate compound (III) with a compound (IV) of formula: (R3—C)2P—A1, wherein A1 is a halogen atom which may be the same as or different