Abstract: In a process of producing high purity bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfides which comprises reacting phenols with sulfur dichloride in an organic solvent, the improvement comprising: reacting the phenols with sulfur dichloride in a nonpolar organic solvent; removing partly or wholly the nonpolar organic solvent after the reaction; adding a polar organic solvent to the reaction mixture to dissolve the reaction mixture therein at elevated temperatures; and crystallizing out the high purity bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfides.There is further provided a high performance heat-sensitive recording material which comprises high purity bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)sulfide thus prepared and having a melting point in the range of from 123.9.degree. C. to 124.9.degree. C. as a developer and a fluoran compound as a color former.

Abstract: In a process of producing high purity bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfides which comprises reacting phenols with sulfur dichloride in organic solvents, the improvement comprising: reacting the phenols with sulfur dichloride in nonpolar organic solvents; removing partly or wholly the nonpolar organic solvents after the reaction; adding polar organic solvents to the reaction mixture to dissolve the reaction mixture therein at elevated temperatures; and crystallizing out the high purity bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfides.There is further provided a high performance heat-sensitive recording material which comprises high purity bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)sulfide thus prepared and having a melting point in the range of from 123.9.degree. C. to 124.9.degree. C. as a developer and a fluoran compound as a color former.

Abstract: Novel compounds, 2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes are susceptible to electrophilic substitution reactions, and the acetylation, nitration, sulfonation and halogenation of the compounds provide 5-acetyl-2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes, 5-nitro-2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes, 5-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethyl-2-thiophenesulfonic acid and 5-halo-2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes, respectively.The hydrolysis of 5-acetyl-2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes readily provides a known compound, 2,5-diacetylthiophene which is an important intermediate for the production of medicines, whereas the haloform reaction provides novel compounds, 5-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acids, the hydrolysis of which compounds readily provides a known compound, 5-acetyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acids, an important intermediate for the production of medicines.The hydrolysis of 5-(.alpha.

Abstract: A water retention material with water-absorbency which comprises finely divided particles of water-absorbent resin having a water absorption capacity of 2 to 50-fold and a particle size of 100.mu. or finer and a hydrophobic material such as a thermoplastic resin, elastomer, sealant, paint or adhesive.

Abstract: This invention provides endo-.alpha.-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (endo-.alpha.-GalNAcase) from a microorganism belonging to the genus Alcarigenes. This endo-.alpha.-GalNAcase is very useful in the analysis of the structure and function of mucin-type sugar chains of glycoproteins, as it is an enzyme that cleaves O-glycosidic linkages of sugar chains of glycoproteins, releasing the sugar chain from said protein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for separating and recovering a high purity carbonic acid gas from a wet mixed gas containing carbonic acid gas which comprises using a pressure swing adsorption and separation apparatus composed of an adsorber packed with alumina gel and zeolite and carrying out the steps of adsorption, washing, desorption and pressurization.

Abstract: A process for producing a high purity oxygen from air by PSA which comprises connecting a first adsorption unit packed with carbon molecular sieve and a second adsorption unit packed with zeolite molecular sieve in series, conducting PSA operation separately in each of the units during the same operation cycle time, accumulating the desorption gas from the first adsorption unit in a receiver and then introducing the resulting desorption gas to the second unit as a raw material gas and to the first unit as a rinse gas.

Abstract: The edible composition having improved water solubility and dispersibility of a useful hydrophobic edible material obtained from an animal or plant natural raw material, improved absorption of the hydrophobic edible material into the body, as well as improved taste and palatability, which comprises the hydrophobic edible material and a water soluble ingredient selected from the group consisting of water soluble low molecular weight peptides, water soluble concentrated extracts and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A water-absorbent resin composition having superior gel stability which comprises a water-absorbent resin, at least one oxygen-containing reducing inorganic salt and, optionally, at least one organic antioxidant.

Abstract: A method for extracting and separating an aglycone which constitutes a glycoside, said method comprises steps of:subjecting a material containing the glycoside to hydrolysis to decompose the glycoside into a sugar moiety and an aglycone;extracting the aglycone from the hydrolyzed material by using a fluid at supercritical or subcritical conditions as an extraction agent; andseparating the extracted aglycone from the extraction agent.

Abstract: Process for preparing 2-alkyl-5-haloacetylbenzenesulfonamide represented by the general formula (1), ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and X is a chlorine atom, bromine atom or iodine atom), characterized by halogenating a 5-acetyl-2-alkylbenzenesulfonamide represented by the general formula (2), ##STR2## (wherein R.sup.1 is the same as defined above) in a lower alcohol represented by the general formula (3),R.sup.4 --OH(wherein R.sup.4 is an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms).

Abstract: A water-absorbent resin having excellent physical properties can be produced by a process wherein an aqueous solution containing an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid and an alkali metal salt thereof in a total amount of 25% by weight or more is subjected to polymerization with a radical polymerization initiator in a petroleum-based hydrocarbon solvent in the presence or absence of a crosslinking agent, characterized by using, as a surfactant, a polyglycerine--fatty acid ester having an HLB of 2 to 16 and represented by the general formula ##STR1## (wherein R is an acyl group or hydrogen atom and n is an integer of 0 to 8).

Abstract: A method for powder coating of a metallic article which comprises subjecting the metallic article to powder coating with a resin composition comprising 80 to 97% by weight of a modified polypropylene and 20 to 3% by weight of very low density polyethylene to form a resin coating film having excellent heat resistance and elongation on the article.

Abstract: A water-absorbent resin composition having superior gel stability which comprises a water-absorbent resin, at least one oxygen-containing reducing inorganic salt and, optionally, at least one organic antioxidant.

Abstract: Process for preparing 2-alkyl-5-haloacetylbenzenesulfonamide represented by the general formula (1), ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and X is a chlorine atom, bromine atom or iodine atom), characterized by halogenating a 5-acetyl-2-alkylbenzenesulfonamide represented by the general formula (2), ##STR2## (wherein R.sup.1 is the same as defined above) in a lower alcohol represented by the general formula (3),R.sup.4 --OH(wherein R.sup.4 is an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms).

Abstract: A method of producing alkali metal benzenesulfinates having the general formula of ##STR1## wherein M represents Na or K, which comprises: reacting nitrophenylphenyl sulfones having the general formula of ##STR2## wherein n is an integer of 1 or 2, with alkali metal thiophenolates having the general formula of ##STR3## in solvents. The reaction produces also nitrophenylphenyl sulfides as by-products in equimolar amounts to the alkali metal benzenesulfinates, and the oxidation of the sulfides provides the starting nitrophenylphenyl sulfones.A method of producing the nitrophenylphenyl sulfones is also provided wherein the sulfides are oxidized with hydrogen peroxide in the presence both of water-soluble tungstates or molybdates and of phase transfer catalysts in a two-phase heterogeneous solvent.

Abstract: Novel compounds, 4-tert.-butyl-1,2-benzenedithiol and bis(4-tert.-butyl-1,2-dithiophenolate) metal complexes having the general formula of ##STR1## wherein M represents a trivalent transition metal, and A represents a quarternary ammonium are provided.The novel benzenedithiol is produced by reacting 4-tert.-butylbenzenethiol or di(4-tert.-butylphenyl)disulfide with sulfur monochloride in the presence of iodine or a Lewis acid in a solvent, and then reducing the resultant product with a metal selected from the group consisting of zinc, tin, iron and aluminum in the presence of an acid.The novel Cu, Co and Ni complexes are produced by reacting the benzenedithiol with a salt of the corresponding divalent transition metal in the presence of an alkoxide metal or a hydride metal and a quarternary ammonium salt in a solvent under an oxidative atmosphere.

Abstract: An improved method for anesthetizing aquatic animals which comprises anesthetizing the animals in water with nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Novel compounds, 2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes are susceptible to electrophilic substitution reactions, and the acetylation, nitration, sulfonation and halogenation of the compounds provide 5-acetyl-2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes, 5-nitro-2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes, 5-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethyl-2-thiophenesulfonic acid and 5-halo-2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes, respectively.The hydrolysis of 5-acetyl-2-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethylthiophenes readily provides a known compound, 2,5-diacetylthiophene which is an important intermediate for the production of medicines, whereas the haloform reaction provides novel compounds, 5-(.alpha.-alkoxyimino)ethyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acids, the hydrolysis of which compounds readily provides a known compound, 5-acetyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acids, an important intermediate for the production of medicines.The hydrolysis of 5-(.alpha.

Abstract: In a PSA separation method, a specific gas component is selectively adsorbed from mixture gas. After flushing with gas, the gas component is recovered by desorption. This desorption is divided into initial, middle and final stages. The gas component separated at the middle stage is recovered as product gas, while the gas recovered at the initial and final stages is used as the flushing gas.