Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of phenols which comprises the steps of (I) decomposing a hydroperoxide of an isopropyl aromatic compound with an acid catalyst, (II) separating the decomposition product obtained in step (I) into acetone, phenols, hydrocarbons and distillation residue by distillation of the decomposition product and (III) thermally decomposing the distillation residue and recycling the resulting crude phenol to step (II), wherein the crude phenol obtained in step (III) is contacted with a glycol to form a hydrocarbon layer and an extract layer comprising the glycol and phenol, and the phenol in said extract layer is recycled to step (II).According to this process, mingling of impurity components having a boiling point close to that of the desired phenol, which are contained in the thermal decomposition product of the distillation residue, into the product phenol can be effectively prevented, and the desired phenol can be obtained at a high purity and at a high recovery yield.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recovering energy from a blast furnace exhaust gas by utilizing an axial-flow turbine. According to the method of the present invention, a blast furnace exhaust gas is first passed through a wet scrubber to remove dusts and form a saturated gas, and low temperature water is sprayed to the saturated gas to add condensed mists to the gas. According to this method, adhesion of dusts to a turbine can be effectively prevented. When large nozzles and large moving blades are used for the turbine for use in practising this method, adhesion of dusts and erosion of nozzles and moving blades can be effectively prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed is a color-developing composition for pressure-sensitive recording sheet material of the self-contained type comprising (A) 100 parts by weight of a copolymer obtained by reacting a p-alkylphenol having an alkyl moiety of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms and phenol with formaldehyde and (B) from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a hindered phenolic compound selected from phenols having an alkyl, alkylene or hydroxyl substituent radical in at least the 2- or 6-position, or both, of the benzene ring and derivatives thereof, the copolymer and the hindered phenolic compound being homogeneously dissolved in mutual solution. The hindered phenolic compound is either added to the starting materials for the preparation of the copolymer or, at the end of the copolymerization reaction, added to the resulting copolymer and dissolved homogeneously in mutual solution.

Abstract: A method of automatic underwater painting over metal surfaces of ships and offshore constructions is disclosed, which broadly comprises the steps of freely running a painting machine along the metal surface, sealably attaching the machine onto the metal surface of a location as desired and thereby forming a painting chamber over the metal surface for painting, transferring the water within the painting chamber to a ballast tank of the machine, and while paint jetting nozzles of the machine being reciprocated within the painting chamber, jetting a paint to effect an even painting over a wide area of the metal surface. The painting machine, which is also disclosed, includes an improved maneuvering mechanism, improved buoyancy adjusting mechanism, improved waterproof electromagnet, nozzle driving mechanism and paint circulation system.

Abstract: New uracil derivatives of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 stands for a hydrogen atom or a grouping of the formula: ##STR2## R.sup.2 for a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or a phenyl group and R.sup.3 for an alkyl group or a phenyl group, with the proviso that when both R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 stand for a hydrogen atom, R.sup.3 stands for a phenyl group or a straight chain alkyl group with 3.about.11 carbon atoms, that when R.sup.1 stands for a hydrogen atom and R.sup.2 for methyl group, R.sup.3 stands for an alkyl group with at least 2 carbon atoms or a phenyl group, and that when R.sup.1 stands for a hydrogen atom and R.sup.3 for methyl group, R.sup.2 stands for an alkyl group with at least 2 carbon atoms or a phenyl group. These uracil derivatives are prepared by reacting 5-fluorouracil with an .alpha.-haloalkyl carboxylate or with an aldehyde diacylate or by hydrolyzing a 1,3-bis(acyloxymethyl)-5-fluorouracil with an acid or alkali.

Abstract: An improved process for the preparation of an aromatic hydroperoxide by oxidizing a hydroxyalkyl-substituted aromatic compound having at least one hydroxyalkyl group directly bonded to an aromatic ring carbon of the aromatic compound and being represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each are a lower alkyl group, with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an acid catalyst in a heterogeneous system of a water-immiscible inert aromatic hydrocarbon solvent at a reaction temperature of up to about 70.degree. C. while removing by-product water as an azeotrope with the aromatic hydrocarbon solvent in the oxidation system; characterized in that said oxidation is carried out while feeding a vapor of a water-immiscible inert aromatic hydrocarbon solvent having a temperature higher than the reaction temperature but not exceeding about 90.degree. C. into a liquid phase of the oxidation system.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of peroxides by condensation reaction of a tertiary organic hydroperoxide with a tertiary alcohol, which is characterized in that zinc chloride is present as a catalyst in an amount of at least 1% by weight based on the tertiary alcohol, is disclosed. This process can be advantageously applied to continuous manufacture of peroxides, and according to this process, peroxides can be obtained in high yields.

Abstract: A multilayer bag structure having at least two laminated layers, the innermost layer being composed of a random copolymer of ethylene and an alpha-olefin having 5 to 10 carbon atoms, said copolymer having the following characteristics: (1) it has an ethylene content of 99.5 to 94 mole %, (2) it has a melt index at 190.degree. C. of 0.1 to 20, (3) it has a density of 0.915 to 0.940 g/cm.sup.3, (4) it has a p-xylene-soluble content (A) at 25.degree. C. of 0.5 to 5% by weight, (5) it has a boiling n-heptane-insoluble content (B) of not less than 8% by weight to less than 20% by weight, and (6) the total of (A) and (B) is not more than 20% by weight.

Abstract: Nitrodiphenyl ether derivatives of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein X represents chlorine, fluorine, methyl or trifluoromethyl and n is an integer of 1-3 are valuable as herbicides, the compounds and compositions containing these compounds possessing an excellent herbicidal activity to a wide variety of undesirable weeds with an extremely low toxicity to useful crops.

Abstract: A penicillanic acid of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each represent a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, provided that R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 do not simultaneously represent a hydrogen atom, or a biologically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: A color-developing sheet for pressure-sensitive recording sheets, said sheet comprising as a color-developing agent at least one 2,2'-bisphenolsulfone nickel salt selected from compounds of the following formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 are identical or different, and represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group containing 7 to 11 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, or a mixture of at least one 2,2'-bisphenolsulfone nickel salt of the above formulae (II) and (III) and at least one 2,2'-bisphenolsulfone zinc salt of the following formula ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same as R.sub.3 through R.sub.8 defined above.

Abstract: A color-developing sheet for pressure-sensitive recording sheets, said sheet comprising as a color-developing agent at least one 2,2'-bisphenolsulfone zinc salt selected from compounds of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are identical or different, and represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group containing 7 to 11 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group.

Abstract: A rubbery copolymer of ethylene, an .alpha.-olefin having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and a polyene, characterized by having (A) an ethylene/.alpha.-olefin mole ratio of from 50/50 to 95/5, (B) an iodine value of from 5 to 50, (C) an intrinsic viscosity [.eta.], measured in decaline at 135.degree. C., of from 1.0 to 6.0 dl/g, (D) a weight average molecular weight/number average molecular weight ratio (Mw/Mn) of from 3 to 15, and (E) an iodine value index .alpha..sub.1 for the lower molecular weight components and an iodine value index .alpha..sub.2 for the higher molecular weight components, said .alpha..sub.1 and .alpha..sub.2 falling within the ranges -30.ltoreq..alpha..sub.1 .ltoreq.0 and 0<.alpha..sub.2 .ltoreq.30. Said copolymer can be obtained by copolymerizing ethylene, the .alpha.-olefin having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and polyene at a temperature of from about 40.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. in the presence of a catalyst composed of (a) a vanadium compound of the formula VO(OR).sub.n X.sub.

Abstract: An improved process for producing hydroquinone from p-isopropenyl phenol is disclosed. Hydroquinone is obtained by oxidizing p-isopropenyl phenol with hydrogen peroxide or an organic peroxide as an oxidizing agent at a temperature of 28.degree. to 50.degree. C. in the presence of a strong acid catalyst using a slightly or hardly water-soluble high-boiling polar solvent. In the oxidation reaction, the mole ratio of the oxidizing agent to p-isopropenyl phenol is kept at less than 1. After the reaction, in order to effectively decompose or consume the undecomposed p-isopropenyl phenol hydroperoxide and the unreacted oxidizing agent remaining in the reaction mixture, the reaction mixture is aged. Alternatively, or subsequently to the aging reaction, SO.sub.2 is added to the reaction mixture to completely decompose the undecomposed or unreacted peroxide. Thus, hydroquinone of high purity is obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of an ester compound selected from phosphoric esters and thiophosphoric esters which comprises reacting a hydroxyl-containing organic compound with phosphorus oxychloride or phosphorus thiochloride in the presence of the hydroxide or carbonate of an alkali metal, water, and an organic solvent.

Abstract: A process for efficiently preparing 1-(2-tetrahydrofuryl)-5-fluorouracil useful as an antitumor agent or an antiviral agent which comprises reacting 5-fluorouracil with 2,3-dihydrofuran. This reaction proceeds advantageously in the presence of a reaction accelerator such as a Lewis acid in a polar solvent such as pyridine.

Abstract: A free expandable rubbery composition comprising an ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer or terpolymer, a blowing agent and a crosslinking agent, said ethylene/.alpha.-olefin co- or terpolymer simultaneously meeting the following requirements (A), (B) and (C):(A) it contains 55 to 73 mole % of an ethylene unit,(B) it has an (EB.times.TS) value of at least 7,000 wherein EB represents the break elongation (%) of the co- or terpolymer and TS is the maximum tensile strength (kg/cm.sup.2) of the co- or terpolymer, and(C) it has a Mooney viscosity, ML.sub.1+4 at 121.degree. C., of 65 to 120.This composition can be used for the production of a crosslinked and foamed rubbery article by the free expansion method.

Abstract: A process for preparing a polymer or copolymer of an olefin having at least 3 carbon atoms which comprises polymerizing or copolymerizing an olefin having at least 3 carbon atoms and containing 0 to 10 mole % of another olefin or diolefin in the presence of a catalyst composed of (i) a solid titanium catalyst component and (ii) an organoaluminum compound; wherein the solid titanium catalyst component is obtained by contacting(1) a magnesium containing copulverization product comprising (A) an aluminum or germanium compound selected from the group consisting of aluminum compounds of the formula AlR.sub.n X.sub.3-n wherein R is a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy or acyloxy group optionally having a substituent, X is a halogen atom, and O<n.ltoreq.3, and germanium compounds of the formula GeR.sub.m X.sub.4-m wherein R and X are as defined above, and 0.ltoreq.m.ltoreq.

Abstract: 2,2'-bis[4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol]sulfide is prepared by suspending 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol in an organic solvent, reacting it with sulfur dichloride or sulfur monochloride at a temperature of from -10.degree. to 40.degree. C., and isolating the precipitate so formed.

Abstract: A novel process for producing pyruvic acid is provided in which process hydroxyacetone is oxidized with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in a water-containing or aqueous solvent in the presence of a catalyst. The catalysts useful for the above oxidation reaction are those composed of either at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, and rhenium, or the at least one metal admixed with at least one element selected from the group consisting of silver, tellurium, tin, bismuth, lead and indium or with a compound of the at least one element. The resulting pyruvate can be effectively isolated in the form of a solid by concentrating the reaction solution and adding the concentrate to isopropyl alcohol.