Abstract: The invention provides a process for the continuous production of one or more glycols from a saccharide-containing feedstock, said process comprising the steps of: i) contacting the saccharide-containing feedstock with hydrogen in the presence of one or more catalysts in a reactor at a reaction temperature and a reaction pressure in a continuous manner, to provide a reaction effluent stream comprising hydrogen and one or more glycols; ii) separating hydrogen from the reaction effluent stream, without substantial de-pressurization of said reaction effluent stream to provide a separated hydrogen stream and a liquid effluent stream; and iii) providing at least a portion of the separated hydrogen stream as a hydrogen recycle stream to the reactor for re-use in step i).

Abstract: A Mannich base curing agent is provided, prepared by reacting butyraldehyde, a phenolic compound and a primary or secondary amine. These curing agents are useful as sole curing agents or as co-curing agents for epoxy resin systems.

Abstract: An improved process for the production of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon norbornene-type compounds comprises contacting the monomers in the presence of a catalytic quantity of a catalyst composition formed from a palladium compound, the anion of a strong non-hydrohalogenic acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus under polymerization conditions including a polymerization temperature above 100.degree. C. In an alternate modification, lower .alpha.-olefin is included in the reaction mixture and additional polymeric products are obtained.