Abstract: A process for the homologization of methanol to produce ethanol, comprising carbonylating methanol in the simultaneous presence of hydrogen, cobalt, ruthenium, at least one ionic halide, and at least one alkyl halide, the molar ratio Ru/Co being at least about 2.

Abstract: The alkyl cyanoacetates are prepared by reacting an alkyl chloracetate with an excess of an alkali metal cyanide, in an inert solvent and in the presence of at least one tertiary amine sequestering agent having the formula:N--CHR.sub.1 --CHR.sub.2 --O--CHR.sub.3 --CHR.sub.4 --O.sub.n R.sub.5 ].sub.3 (I).

Abstract: In a filled/plasticized polymeric composition, e.g., a natural or synthetic rubber, the compatibility between reinforcing filler and plasticizer, particularly an oil, is markedly enhanced by incorporating therein a minor amount of an alkenyl succinimide.

Abstract: Impure gas streams are purified/treated in a gas-liquid phase contactor of cocurrent spray scrubber type, wherein the feed gas, together with a cocurrently descending spray of treatment liquid, are introduced into a contact zone under conditions such that the pressure of atomization of the liquid and the liquid dispersing velocity of the gas feed ensure effective interphase surface and contact time therefor, whereby the impure gas is efficiently physically scrubbed by said liquid, either with or without concomitant chemical reaction therebetween, and the dispersed liquid interphase is then vertically directed to a downstream separation zone wherein the gas stream is subjected to an abrupt change in direction and is thus separated from the interphase at essentially the original inlet velocity thereof and with essentially no content of treatment liquid, while at the same time essentially all of the atomized treatment liquid maintains its vertically downward descent to a liquid collection and recovery zone.

Abstract: Semi-permeable, e.g., ultrafiltration membranes are shaped from a solvent solution of an admixture of at least one polyether comprising recurring units of the structural formula:--O--Ar--O--CH.sub.2 --CHOH--CH.sub.2 -- (I)and at least one polyether comprising recurring units of the structural formula:--O--E--R--E'.sub.m O--G--SO.sub.2 --G'-- (II)wherein Ar, E, E', G and G' are divalent aromatic radicals, m is an integer, and R is a valence bond or a member selected from the group comprising --CO--, --O--, --SO.sub.2 -- and a divalent hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Beta-methylthiopropionaldehyde is prepared by (I) condensing a gaseous feedstream comprising both acrolein and water, advantageously the off-gas resulting from the air oxidation of propylene (and after the acrylic acid content has been absorbed therefrom), to obtain an aqueous condensate containing a fraction of said acrolein and a gaseous acrolein effluent, (II) partially vaporizing said aqueous condensate whereby to obtain a gaseous phase comprising essentially all of said acrolein fraction and a liquid phase comprising essentially no acrolein, (III) recycling said gaseous phase into said gaseous feedstream to be condensed, and (IV) directly reacting said gaseous acrolein effluent with methylmercaptan.

Abstract: The air cooling of exothermic reaction vessels is improved by providing a cooling air recirculation loop wherein substantial amounts of the cooling air are recycled through the system with but a small fraction thereof being discharged to ambient, and after the condensable/soluble off-gases are depleted therefrom and with addition thereto of but minor amounts of additional feed air. Such technique is well suited for controlling the temperature of the digestion of phosphate rock with sulfuric acid, in the known wet-process for the production of phosphoric acid.

Abstract: Spheroidal alumina particulates having bifold porosity are prepared by (i) intimately admixing, at a pH of less than about 7.5, (a) a sol of a member selected from the group consisting of ultrafine boehmite and pseudo-boehmite, said sol being devoid of amorphous alumina and the concentration by weight thereof, in content by weight of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, being between 5 and 25%, with (b) from 30 to 95% by weight, based upon the total solids content of the admixture, of spheroidal alumina particulates essentially completely in at least one of the phases eta, gamma, delta and theta, such particulates having a micropore volume ranging from about 0.4 to 1 cm.sup.3 /g, a specific surface ranging from about 100 to 350 m.sup.2 /g, and particle diameters ranging from about 1 to 50 microns; (ii) prilling said intimate admixture into spheroidal particulates and gelling the same; and then, (iii) recovering, drying and calcining said gelled particulates at a temperature of from 550.degree. to 1100.degree. C.

Abstract: Raw wet phosphoric acid which has been extracted from the solvent and regenerated with water according to the process of U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,029 is subsequently subjected to treatment with steam or a hot gas to afford concentrated phosphoric acid with a F/P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ratio of less than 10 ppm. The acid obtained is suitable for use in the food industry.

Abstract: Novel thermosetting compositions, including a polyimide/N-vinylpyrrolidone prepolymer, optionally comprising an unsaturated polyester, and an epoxy resin, are well adapted for the molding of a variety of useful shaped articles.

Abstract: Nitrogen oxides, NO.sub.x, are depleted/removed from oxygen-containing gas streams comprising same, by contacting an admixture of ammonia and such gas streams, at elevated temperatures, with a catalyst which comprises a catalytically active metallic oxide deposited on a porous alumina support, said support comprising a volume of pores having diameters larger than 1000 A in excess of 25 cm.sup.3 /100 g, a volume of pores having diameters larger than 300 A in excess of 40 cm.sup.3 /100 g, a total pore volume of from about 80 cm.sup.3 /100 g to 120 cm.sup.3 /100 g, and a surface area of less than 160 m.sup.2 /g, said catalytically active metallic oxide being an oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of vanadium, iron and cobalt, and said catalytically active metal oxide comprising from 0.5 to 20% by weight of the catalyst.

Abstract: The new water-soluble substance designated by the number 41,200 RP, is obtained from cells of Micrococcus sedogenes, M 78 strain (NRRL B-3505), and is particularly useful in human or veterinary therapy for increasing resistance to infections of various origins and for stimulating the natural defences of the organism.

Abstract: Aliphatic/aromatic ethers are prepared by reacting an aliphatic halide with either an alkali or alkaline earth metal, or ammonium phenolate or naphtholate, in an inert organic solvent, and in the presence of at least one tertiary amine sequestering agent having the formula:N--CHR.sub.1 CHR.sub.2 --O--CHR.sub.3 --CHR.sub.4 --O--.sub.n R.sub.5 ].sub.

Abstract: High molecular weight thermotropic copolyesters are disclosed which can be shaped. These copolyesters consist or consist essentially of units of the formulae:(--O--X.sub.1 --O--).sub.a, (--O--X.sub.2 --O--).sub.b, (--O--X.sub.3 --O--).sub.c, --CO--Y--CO-- or --CO--Z--CO--,in which: X.sub.1 represents a monosubstituted para-phenylene radical; X.sub.2 represents an unsubstituted 1,4-phenylene radical; and X.sub.3 represents a disubstituted para-phenylene radical, a 4,4'-diphenylene radical or a p,p'-diphenylene ether radical, where 0.4.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.1, O.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.0.6, O.ltoreq.c.ltoreq.0.1 and a+b+c=1; Y represents a 1,4-cyclohexylene radical, a radical having two phenylene groups joined to one another by a single bond or an acyclic chain, or a divalent aromatic radical having at least two fused phenyl nuclei; and Z represents a radical --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --, in which 3.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.10, the molar ratio Z/Y+Z being between 0.2 and 0.5.

Abstract: A column-type apparatus for treatment of a gas stream with liquid includes a gas inlet for introducing a gas stream containing soluble compounds and solid particles into the apparatus and simultaneously imparting a cyclonic and upward flow to the gas stream. A gas-liquid mixing section above the gas inlet contains a liquid dispersing device from which liquid is vertically dispersed from the upper portion of the gas-liquid mixing section and flows downwardly and counter-currently to the gas flow wherein all the material entrained within the gas stream is completely and intimately contacted with the liquid.

Abstract: Water soluble polymeric flocculants are prepared by photopolymerizing olefinically unsaturated hydrophilic monomer(s), the photopolymerization recipe including a polyhydroxylated organic additive, such as gluconic acid. Such polyhydroxy compound facilitates solubilization of the resultant flocculants, without substantial decrease in the molecular weight thereof, and ensures against the by-production of water insoluble fractions.

Abstract: High molecular weight organopolysiloxanes are rapidly prepared, without formation of the low molecular weight polysiloxanes, by polycondensing a hydroxysilylated polysiloxane in the presence of a catalytic amount of a catalyst system including (i) an alkali or alkaline earth metal, and (ii) a polyheteromacropolycyclic co-catalyst having the structural formula: ##STR1## wherein .SIGMA. is a divalent radical having the structural formula ##STR2## or a divalent radical having the structural formula: ##STR3## further wherein each R, which may be identical or different, is a divalent hydrocarbon radical, each Q, which also may be identical or different, is a divalent hydrocarbon radical, an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, and m, n and p are each integers equal to 1, 2 or 3.

Abstract: The thin rubbery layer resulting from the photopolymerization of a thin layer of an aqueous solution of acrylic monomer(s) is face surface coated with a coating of an alkali metal sulfite and/or metabisulfite, and is then shredded, dried and ground to provide acrylic polymer/copolymer from which virtually all residual monomer has been depleted and which is well suited for use as a polymeric flocculant.

Abstract: Novel 3-vinyl-cephalosporin derivates of the general formula ##STR1## in the bicyclooct-2-ene or bicyclooct-3-ene form, in which R.sub.1 is a protective radical or is a radical of the general formula ##STR2## in which R.sub.5 is hydrogen, alkyl, vinyl or cyanomethyl, or a protective radical, and R.sub.6 is hydrogen or a protective radical, and R.sub.2 is a protective radical or an enzymatically removable radical, or R.sub.1 is an acyl radical, which may carry various substituents, and R.sub.2 represents a protective radical, and R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which are identical or different, represent alkyl (optionally substituted by hydroxyl, alkoxy, amino, alkylamino or dialkylamino) or phenyl, or form, together with the nitrogen atom, a saturated 5-membered or 6-membered heterocyclic ring optionally containing another hetero-atom, their E- and Z-forms and their mixtures, are useful as intermediates for the preparation of 3-thiovinyl cephalosporins useful as antibacterial agents.

Abstract: Novel 3-vinyl-cephalosporins of the formula ##STR1## in which n is 0 or 1, R.sub.1 is hydrogen, a radical of the formula ##STR2## [in which R.sub.4 is hydrogen or a protective radical and R.sub.5 is hydrogen, alkyl, vinyl or cyanomethyl or is a protective radical], or a protective radical, and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, a protective radical or an enzymatically removable radical, or R.sub.1 is hydrogen or an acyl radical which may carry various substituents and R.sub.2 is hydrogen or a protective radical, and R.sub.3 is a radical of the general formula R'.sub.3 --SO.sub.2 --O-- or R".sub.3 --CO--O--, in which R'.sub.3 is alkyl, trifluoromethyl, trichloromethyl or phenyl which is substituted by a halogen atom or by an alkyl or nitro radical, and R".sub.3 is defined like R'.sub.3 or represents methyl which is substituted by acyl or alkoxycarbonyl, or represents ethyl or propyl substituted in the 2-position by acyl or alkoxycarbonyl.