Abstract: L-malic acid is prepared from fumaric acid through a microbiological fermentation process employing a microbial strain of the Paracolobactrum genus having the number 743, 745 or 746.

Abstract: A copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol which contains ketoether groups and is photodegradable under the direct action of sunlight is prepared by reacting an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer with alpha-diazoacetophenone in the presence of an organic solvent and a catalyst consisting of a Lewis acid.

Abstract: Long chain alkyl sulphonates, adapted for use as detergents, are prepared by adding alkali metal bisulphite to a stoichiometric excess of alpha-olefines having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, in a liquid solvent mixture of alcohol and water having a weight ratio in the range from 1.2 to 2.5, in the presence of oxygen and an oxide or salt of manganese at a temperature not in excess of the boiling point of the solvent mixture, and a pH in the range of 8.5 to 2, wherein the ratio of solvent to olefines is between 6/1 and 2/1.

Abstract: An ammonium organic salt is recovered from an aqueous solution in which it is contained at a concentration in the range from 0.2% to the salt solubility limit by atomizing the solution in hot air at a temperature in the range of 100.degree. to 150.degree.C.

Abstract: A copper compound having the general formula: ##EQU1## wherein the copper is in the .sup.+1 oxidation state; R, the same or different, is hydrogen, methyl or phenyl; and R' is ethyl or methyl, is prepared by reacting a monovalent copper salt such as CuBr with an alkali metal alkoxide in the presence of a mixture of an alcohol and a nitrile under anhydrous conditions and in an atmosphere of an inert gas.

Abstract: A polymeric material having high impact resistance and improved resistance to ageing is prepared by grafting monomers such as acrylonitrile and styrene upon a rubbery terpolymer of ethylene, an alpha-olefin such as propylene and a triene termonomer such as 2-(1' or 2' or 3' methyl-1' or 2' or 3' cyclopenta-2' or 4' dienyl) norborn-5-enyl-methane, containing from 0.1 to 20 pairs of conjugate double bonds per thousand carbon atoms in the polymer chain.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of only one of the two stereoisomer forms carbamyl amino acids is provided wherein certain heterocyclic compounds having an assymmetrical carbon, such as 5-substituted hydantoins, are hydrolyzed in the presence of certain enzymes, such as dihydropyrimidinase extracted from calf liver. In another embodiment of the invention, the corresponding amino acids are provided by hydrolyzing the carbamyl amino acids in the presence of these same enzymes.

Abstract: A method is described for the polymerization of isobutylene and, in particular, the copolymerization of isobutylene and isoprene to produce butyl rubber, by contacting the monomers with a catalyst prepared from: (a) an organoaluminum compound (e.g. Al(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 Cl) and (b) a compound represented by the formula X'.sub.n M.sub.e Y.sub.m in which X' is a halogen atom; Y is oxygen, sulphur or a functional group selected from the alkoxies, esters, amides, simple or substituted alkyls, cycloalkyls, aromatics, arenes, phosphines, acetylacetones and oximes; Me is an element selected from Ti, Sn, Zn, B, Al, Hg, Pb, W, Sb, Ge, V, Zr, As, Bi and Mo; n and m are whole numbers whose sum equals the valence of Me except where Y is oxygen or sulphur, when the valency equals 2m + n, (e.g. Ti(O nC.sub.4 H.sub.9)Cl.sub.3), in a liquid reaction medium constituted by an aliphatic, aromatic, cycloaliphatic or halogenated hydrocarbon such as methyl chloride, and at a temperature in the range from -100.degree. to 30.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for use in steplessly detecting the presence and the precise position of ovalizations, squashings or swellings into a submerged pipeline as well as the projections on a vertical plane and on a horizontal plane respectively of the curved geometrical configuration of said pipeline.

Abstract: Dimethyl carbonate is separated from a mixture thereof with methyl alcohol and water through an extractive distillation process wherein water is utilized as the solvent.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon polymer, such as high density polyethylene, is rendered photodegradable through the introduction into the polymer chain of photosensitive >C= O groups by reacting the polymer with a compound such as NOCl in the heterogeneous phase in an acid environment so that - NO groups are introduced into the polymer chain which are converted into >N--OH groups and then subjecting the resultant polymer to hydrolysis so that the >N--OH groups are converted into photosensitive >C = O groups.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for preparing trivalent cobalt complexes having the formulas[Co.sup.III (L.sub.1 L.sub.2 L.sub.3 L.sub. 4)].sub.2 CR.sub.1 CR.sub.2 O.2CR.sub.1 R.sub.2 OH (1)and[Co.sup.III (L.sub.1 L.sub.2 L.sub.3 L.sub.4)] CR.sub.1 R.sub.2 0.CR.sub.1 R.sub.2 OH.B (2)wherein (L.sub.1 L.sub.2 L.sub.3 L.sub.4) is a planar tetradentate ligand selected from bis-(diacetylmonoximeimino)-propane, bis-(salicylaldehyde)-ethylenediamine and bis-(acetylacetone)-ethylenediamine; CR.sub.1 R.sub.2 O is an alcohol radical selected from CH.sub.3 O, ClCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O, .phi.CH.sub.2 O and CH.sub.2 =CH--CH.sub.2 O; CR.sub.1 R.sub.2 OH is the corresponding alcohol; and B is an amine base by reacting cobalt complex Co(L.sub.1 L.sub.2 L.sub.3 L.sub.4), alcohol CR.sub.1 R.sub.2 OH and amine base B with molecular oxygen at a temperature from 0.degree. to 70.degree.C.

Abstract: A novel apparatus for the desalination of sea water is described. The apparatus comprises a column of a plurality of superposed cylindrical sections, each section including two film evaporators; two basins interconnected between said cylindrical sections; a restriction for passing brine from basin to basin, siphon tubes for withdrawing the condensed water from each section and accessory preheating means and inlet and outlet tubes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel catalyst for use in the manufacture of ethylene oxide from ethylene. The catalyst comprises silver, calcium and barium in gram atomic ratio of 15/2.5/1.

Abstract: The preparation of propylene oxide by means of direct oxidation of propylene with oxygen or air in the presence of silver based catalysts is characterized by carrying out the reaction in the presence of water vapor in a quantity between 2 and 25%.

Abstract: Ethylene oxide is prepared by oxidizing an ethylene containing feed with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst which comprises an element or a compound of silver, calcium and barium in atomic ratios of 15:2.5:1.

Abstract: This invention involves the acoustical transmission of messages from an individual operating under water to persons operating on the surface. A wrist-mounted, keyboard-actuated, acoustical signal generator is provided, having means to generate and amplify a coded electrical signal. This coded signal drives a transducer which transmits the message as an acoustical signal.

Abstract: Synthetic lubricating oil having a high viscosity index, very low pour point, low viscosity at 0.degree.F, high thermal stability, high resistance to depolymerization, high flash point and very low carbon residue, is prepared by subjecting polymeric material of very high viscosity boiling above 175.degree.C, and obtained through polymerization of normal alpha-olefines having the general formula R-CH = CH.sub.2, wherein R is an alkyl radical containing from 2 to 16 carbon atoms, in the presence of a TiCl.sub.4 /polyiminoalane catalyst, in a substantially inert atmosphere which may contain hydrogen up to a manometer pressure of 1 kg/cm.sup.2, to thermal cracking at atmospheric pressure and in the temperature range of 300.degree.C to 420.degree.C at a contact time in the range of 5 minutes to 4 hours, and then distilling product so obtained under vacuum to a temperature which corresponds to a distillation temperature of 400.degree.

Abstract: Styrene of exceptional purity is separated from a mixture of hydrocarbons including it, xylenes, saturated and olefinic hydrocarbons and ethyl benzene by means of a two-step extractive distillation process through the use of a high boiling polar solvent such as N-formyl morpholine in admixture with an amount of water in the range of from 1% to 30% by weight.

Abstract: A system for automatically suppressing any ground noise present in the detection of periodic phenomena comprising detecting means for detecting the signal occurring just prior to the occurrence of the periodic phenomena, which signal is representative of ground noise, converting means for converting the sensed signal to a usable D.C. level signal, sampling means for sampling the signal resulting from the occurrence of the periodic phenomena, and summation means for algebraically adding the converted D.C. signal to the sampled signal for eliminating any ground noise present in the sampled signal, thereby providing an output signal representative of the periodic output phenomena free of any ground noise.