Abstract: A process for the production of methanol is disclosed wherein the gaseous reactants of CO, H.sub.2 and optimally CO.sub.2 are reacted in a distillation column reactor in the presence of an inert C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 component, which is boiling at the reaction temperature within the catalyst bed. The inert component is taken overhead along with the methanol and separated therefrom for reflux of the inert component back to the reactor.

Abstract: Methods/systems for making a relatively high-purity bisphenol A product from phenol and acetone. Controlled turbulence is used to form bisphenol A adduct solids having improved physical properties. Phenol is separated from the bisphenol A product while inhibiting decomposition of bisphenol A.

Abstract: A naphthol derivative represented by the general formula (I) ?wherein Y and Y' indicate --(CONH).sub.n --X or --COR; X is a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, an anthraquinonyl group, a benzimidazolonyl group or a carbazolyl group; R is a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a benzyloxy group, a phenyloxy group or a phenacyloxy group; R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkaline metal, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a phenylalkyl group; Z is a group selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a nitroso group and an amino group (Z may be substituted on any ring of the naphthalene ring); and n is an integer of 1 or 2; provided that R.sub.2 and Z do not simultaneously indicate a hydrogen atom when both R simultaneously indicate a hydroxyl group!, and a process for producing the same.

Abstract: A process for producing liquid and, optionally, gaseous products from gaseous reactants comprises feeding gaseous reactants into a slurry bed of solid particles suspended in a liquid; allowing the reactants to react as they pass upwardly through the slurry bed, thereby to form liquid and, optionally, gaseous products; and separating liquid product from the solid particles by passing, in a filtration zone within the slurry bed, liquid product through a filtration medium in a first direction, so that a cake of the solid particles forms on the filtration medium. The passage of liquid product through the filtering medium is interrupted. The filtering medium is then backflushed by passing a flushing fluid through the filtering medium in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, for at least portions of the periods that the liquid product passage is interrupted, thereby to dislodge the cake from the filtering medium.

Abstract: A cheap industrial method for making trans-2-bromoindan-1-ol. Trans-2-bromoindan-1-ol represented by Formula (II) is made by hydrolysing 1,2-dibromoindane represented by General Formula (I) (where the configuration of the bromine atoms on position 1 and position 2 can be trans or cis, or it can be a mixture of trans and cis isomers). Trans-2-bromoindan-1-ol represented by Formula (II) can also be made by brominating indene to synthesize 1,2-dibromoindane, and then continuously hydrolysing this 1,2-dibromoindane without isolating it. 1,2-Dibromoindane can also be made by reacting indene with hydrogen bromide in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing optically active halomethyl phenyl carbinols of the formula (1), comprising reducing halomethyl phenyl ketones of the formula (2) using an asymmetric reducing agent obtained from boranes and optically active .alpha.-phenyl-substituted-.beta.-amino alcohols of the formula (3) or optically active .alpha.-non-substituted-.beta.-amino alcohols of the formula (4).The present invention further relates to a process for producing optically active carbinols, comprising reacting a prochiral keytone with an asymmetric reducing agent obtained from optically active .beta.-amino alcohols of the formula (5), a metal boron hydride and Lewis acid or lower dialkyl sulfuric acid. All of the formulas (1) to (5) are the same as shown in the specification.

Abstract: In a catalytic process for converting synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide to hydrocarbons and oxygenates by a slurry Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, the wax product along with dispersed catalyst is removed from the slurry and purified by removing substantially all of the catalyst prior to upgrading the wax and returning a portion to the Fischer-Tropsch reaction. Separation of the catalyst particles from the wax product is accomplished by dense gas and/or liquid extraction in which the organic compounds in the wax are dissolved and carried away from the insoluble inorganic catalyst particles that are primarily inorganic in nature. The purified catalyst free wax product can be subsequently upgraded by various methods such as hydrogenation, isomerization, hydrocracking, conversion to gasoline and other products over ZSM-5 aluminosilicate zeolite, etc.

Abstract: A process is provided for the hydroformylation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds having at least 4 carbon atoms by reaction thereof with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a solvent and a catalyst system obtainable by combining:a) a source of Group VIII metal cations;b) a source of anions; andc) a source of phosphine ligands,wherein the solvent is a C.sub.1, to C.sub.10 alkane or alkene having two or more cyano groups attached.

Abstract: A tertiary butyl alcohol feedstock is dehydrated to form isobutylene and water in a reactive distillation column having a reactive distillation section in the middle portion thereof containing a bed of a TBA dehydration catalyst and a substantially anhydrous lower boiling isobutylene fraction is recovered adjacent the top of the reactive distillation column and a higher boiling aqueous fraction is recovered adjacent the bottom of the reactive distillation column.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method of producing fluoromethyl 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl ether. It is a method of producing fluoromethyl 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl ether by bringing a polyether represented by the following general formula (1) into contact with a medium comprising hydrogen fluoride and an accelerant,R.sup.1 O(CH.sub.2 O).sub.n R.sup.2 ( 1)where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sup.10 alkyl or haloalkyl groups, where halogen is fluorine, chlorine or bromine, n is an integer of from 1 to 10, and both of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are not hydrogen at the same time.

Abstract: A process has been discovered to employ an inert or unreactive solvent in the liquid phase process for production of isopropyl alcohol and diisopropyl ether from a propylene-rich hydrocarbon feedstream and water where the process is carried out in contact with acidic aluminosilicate catalyst particles. When an inert solvent is used, oxygenates production is enhanced and catalyst productivity is substantially increased.

Abstract: Hydroxymethylcyclopropane is prepared from alkyl cyclopropanecarboxylates by reduction with hydrogen in a process in which use is made of a reduced pelletized catalyst which is obtainable by pressing a mixture of pulverulent copper, zinc and aluminum oxides and subsequent reduction. This process has the advantage that it uses a low-toxicity catalyst which has a long operating life and is particularly suitable for a continuous process and requires relatively low reaction temperatures.

Abstract: A naphthol derivative represented by the general formula (I) ?wherein Y and Y' indicate --(CONH).sub.n --X or --COR; X is a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, an anthraquinonyl group, a benzimidazolonyl group or a carbazolyl group; R is a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a benzyloxy group, a phenyloxy group or a phenacyloxy group; R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkaline metal, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a phenylalkyl group; Z is a group selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a nitroso group and an amino group (Z may be substituted on any ring of the naphthalene ring); and n is an integer of 1 or 2; provided that R.sub.2 and Z do not simultaneously indicate a hydrogen atom when both R simultaneously indicate a hydroxyl group!, and a process for producing the same.

Abstract: In the synthesis of essentially linear saturated C.sub.5.sup.+ hydrocarbons from synthesis gas, the reactive gas phase circulating either as a downflow or as an upflow through a fixed bed catalytic reaction zone, an upflow of an inert liquid phase through said zone at a superficial flow rate of more than 0.01 cm/s, as compared to a downflow of liquid phase, increases the selectivity of the process to the formation of the desired C.sub.5.sup.+ cut.

Abstract: An integrated process for the preparation and recovery of a bisphenol based on the condensation reaction of a ketone and a phenol in the presence of an ion-exchange resin.

Abstract: A process for producing a benzhydrol compound (II) which comprises hydrogenating a benzophenone compound (I) in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst consisting of a transition metal complex, a base and an optically active diamine compound: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 to R.sup.10 each represents H, OH, C.sub.1-4 alkyl, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, C.sub.1-4 alkanoyl, etc., R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, and R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 may form --CH.dbd.CH--CH.dbd.CH--, or any two of R.sup.1 to R.sup.9 adjacent to each other may be bonded to thereby form --OCH.sub.2 O-- or --(CH.sub.2).sub.3 --. By using this process, optically active benzhydrol compounds which have a high purity and are useful as, for example, intermediates in the synthesis of drugs can be produced by simple procedures.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of lutein or of its esters into zeaxanthin by base-catalyzed isomerization is disclosed. The process is carried out by heating an optionally pre-treated lutein-containing material in a mixture of an aqueous solution of an alkali hydroxide and either dimethyl sulphoxide or an organic solvent based on saturated aliphatic and/or aromatic hydrocarbons at temperatures in the range from about 50.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. The process is carried out in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst when an organic solvent based on hydrocarbons is used. Being carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin are used correspondingly, especially as pigments for egg yolk, the integuments and the subcutaneous fat of poultry, the flesh and the integuments of fish and crustaceans, as well as foodstuffs. Zeaxanthin is preferably used in many applications, since in comparable dosages it produces a more intensive golden yellow pigmentation than lutein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of Guerbet alcohols by condensation of aliphatic alcohols in the presence of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxides as catalyst using the Guerbet reaction, in which the initial pressure in the reactor corresponds to the vapor pressure of the alcohol components used and, during the reaction, the pressure is continually reduced to the vapor pressure of the reaction mixture at the particular temperature.

Abstract: There is described a process for purifying ethylene glycol recovered from scrap polyester by contacting the recovered ethylene glycol with, in either order, a first adsorbent that has a high affinity for polar contaminants and a second adsorbent that has a high affinity for non-polar contaminants.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of reducing the UV absorption of a solvent that comprises water, an ethylene glycol, or a mixture thereof, where the solvent contains at least 0.1 ppm of a dione, particularly 3-methyl-2-hydroxy cyclopent-2-eneone or its tautomer, 3-methyl-1, 2-cyclopentanedione. The solvent is passed through an anionic exchange resin containing strong base sites. The UV absorbance of the effluent from the anionic exchange resin can be monitored and, when it increases, the resin can be reactivated by passing an aqueous solution of a base through it.