Abstract: A continuous process for the production of alkyl esters from carboxylic acids wherein an aqueous stream containing a first carboxylic acid, RCO.sub.2 H, is contacted with an organic stream comprising a carboxylic acid ester, R"CO.sub.2 R', so that the organic stream is enriched with RCO.sub.2 H. The RCO.sub.2 H enriched organic stream is separated from the aqueous stream and is contacted with a catalyst to obtain a second carboxylic acid, R"CO.sub.2 H, and a product carboxylic acid ester, RCO.sub.2 R'. The product ester, RCO.sub.2 R', is separated from the second acid, R"CO.sub.2 H, the reactant ester, R"CO.sub.2 R', and the first acid, RCO.sub.2 H, and the second acid, R"CO.sub.2 H, is esterified to obtain the reactant ester, R"CO.sub.2 R', which is recycled to the initial part of the process. In this process R is aliphatic or aromatic, R' is alkyl and R" is aliphatic with at least about 4 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A method of obtaining deuterated compounds from compounds having an abstractable proton comprises contacting the proton-containing compound with a porous ion exchange resin which contains at least some deuterons. The reverse process of substituting protons for deuterons in deuterated compounds is also described. Highly pure products can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst composition consisting of oxide complexes of vanadium, molybdenum and copper plus an additional metal oxide selected from the group consisting of antimony and germanium or mixtures thereof. These catalysts are especially useful for producing acrylic acid from acrolein and for producing methacrylic acid from methacrolein.

Abstract: A process is provided for preparing fluid bed catalysts containing the mixed oxides of vanadium and phosphorus prepared from a mixed phosphoric acid source. A pentavalent vanadium compound is introduced into an organic liquid capable of reducing the vanadium, the vanadium is contacted with the mixed phosphoric acid source, the resulting catalyst precursor is comminuted, introduced into water to form an aqueous slurry and spray dried to form microspheroidal, fluidizable particles.