Abstract: Benzyl alcohols, particularly those which bear fluorine substituents or fluoroalkyl substituents on the benzyl ring, can be obtained by formylation of corresponding aryl bromides to form benzaldehydes and reduction of the latter using further formate, wherein the benzaldehydes formed do not have to be isolated.

Abstract: Citalopram can be industrially and economically produced and at a high yield by reacting a compound of the following formula [VI] with 3-(dimethylamino)propyl chloride in the presence of at least one of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine and 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone and a condensing agent.

Abstract: A cleavage method of bisphenols capable of yielding a product containing high-purity isopropenylphenol and phenol is disclosed, including (1) a cleavage step of supplying the mixture containing bisphenols together with chroman derivatives and flavan derivatives formed as by-products in the production process of bisphenols to a cleaving vessel and carrying out a cleavage reaction in the presence of a basic or acidic catalyst at a temperature of from 150 to 260° C. under a reduced pressure condition of not higher than 300 mmHg, (2) a distillation step of supplying the cleavage step product formed in the cleavage step in a vapor state to a distillation column and distilling at a temperature of from 130 to 200° C. under a reduced pressure condition of not higher than 300 mmHg, and (3) a reflux step of condensing the distillate from the distillation step, refluxing a part thereof to the distillation step at a reflux ratio of from 0.01 to 3, and discharging out the residue from the system.

Abstract: A method of preparing cumylphenol comprises reacting phenol and alpha-methylstyrene in the presence of an acid catalyst and an alkylbenzene. The method provides an inexpensive, selective process to cumylphenol.

Abstract: A diphenylethylene Pterocarpus marsupium is provided which is administered orally to decrease blood glucose levels in rats. The compound is an effective anti-diabetic agent that can reduce abnormality of glucose metabolism in diabetes.

Abstract: A process for the cleavage of alkylaryl hydroperoxides includes steps for producing a mixture of a concentrate that contains at least one alkylaryl hydroperoxide to be cleaved and a cleavage product obtained from the cleavage of an alkylaryl hydroperoxide, dividing this mixture into at least two parts and cleaving the alkylaryl hydroperoxides in parallel at different temperatures. One of the two parts is treated at a temperature sufficiently high for an integrated thermal post-treatment to be achieved. The process consumes less energy since less steam has to be used. Problems which can result from fouling in heat exchangers are largely prevented. No second feed point for alkylaryl hydroperoxide has to be provided. The process can be used in the preparation of phenol and acetone by the Hock method.

Abstract: There are disclosed an alcohol derivative of formula (1): wherein Ar is an optionally substituted aryl group and R is a straight or branched C1-C3 lower alkyl group, and the wavy line depicted by indicates a single bond and stereochemistry relating to a double bond bound therewith is E or Z or a mixture thereof, and a process for producing the same and a process for producing Vitamin A aldehyde using the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of polyether polyols by catalytic reaction of H-functional initiators with lower alkylene oxides, wherein the catalysts used are multimetal cyanide compounds and the H-functional initiators used are butane-1,4-diol, &agr;-hydroxy-&ohgr;-hydroxypoly(oxybutane-1,4-diyl), pentane-1,5-diol, decane-1,10-diol or mixtures of at least two of these compounds.

Abstract: There are disclosed a process for producing a dihydric phenol which comprises oxidizing a monohydric phenol by a peroxide compound in the presence of a &bgr;-zeolite, a ketone and a phosphoric acid, and a process for producing a dihydric phenol which comprises oxidizing a monohydric phenol in the presence of a &bgr;-zeolite, a ketone and a phosphoric acid, by feeding a monohydric phenol, hydrogen peroxide, a ketone and a phosphoric acid into a reactor in which a &bgr;-zeolite is charged, to oxidize the monohydric phenol into a dihydric phenol, and delivering the resultant reaction mixture from the reactor.

Abstract: An aromatic carboxylic acid, aromatic aldehyde, and aromatic alcohol are simultaneously and efficiently prepared by liquid phase oxidizing an aromatic compound represented by formula (I) with a gas containing molecular oxygen, in a presence of a catalyst comprising transition metal compound, tertiary amine and bromide compound:

Abstract: A process for preparing aldols by catalytic reaction of aldehydes and/or ketones comprises conducting said reaction in the channels of a microstructured reaction system.

Abstract: Citalopram can be industrially and economically produced and at a high yield by reacting a compound of the following formula [VI] with 3-(dimethylamino)propyl chloride in the presence of at least one of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine and 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone and a condensing agent. The compound of the following formula [III], which is a key compound for the production of citalopram, can be easily produced by subjecting the compound of the following formula [II] to reduction and cyclization.

Abstract: A process for producing a hydroxyaromatic compound by oxidizing an alkyl group-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon to a hydroperoxyaromatic compound and decomposing the hydroperoxyaromatic compound to the hydroxyaromatic compound in which the step of neutralizing the reaction mixture containing the hydroxyaromatic compound with an aqueous alkali solution is conducted so that an aqueous layer, which is obtained by mixing an oil layer of the neutralized mixture and deionized water in a volume ratio of the oil layer to the deionized water of 2:1 to obtain an oil/water mixture and allowing the oil/water mixture to stand still, may have a pH falling within the range of from 4.5 to 5.5, improves the yield of the hydroxyaromatic compound product while suppressing by-production of heavy substances.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of d,l-menthol by catalytic hydrogenation of compounds which have the carbon skeleton of menthane containing at least one double bond and are 3-substituted by oxygen and/or of menthone or isomenthone or mixtures of such compounds using hydrogen at temperatures of 100 to 200° C. and at hydrogen partial pressures between 2 and 50 bar and/or by rearrangement of menthol stereoisomers in the presence of hydrogen at temperatures of 0 to 140° C. and at hydrogen partial pressures between 0.1 and 20 bar in the presence of noble-metal-containing catalysts.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing bisphenol A which is capable of prolonging the life of an acid-type ion exchange resin partially modified with a sulfur-containing amine compound as catalyst, and increasing the yield of bisphenol A per unit quantity of the catalyst. There is disclosed a process for producing bisphenol A by reacting acetone with phenol in the presence of an acid-type ion exchange resin partially modified with a sulfur-containing amine compound as catalyst and alkylmercaptan as co-catalyst, said process comprising: conducting said reaction using a multi-stage reaction apparatus comprising at least two individual reactors connected in series to each other, wherein the molar ratio of total alkylmercaptan to total acetone and the molar ratio of total acetone to phenol are increased as the conversion rate of the phenol is decreased.

Abstract: There is provided a process for producing dihydroxybenzene, which comprises the steps of: (1) oxidizing diisopropylbenzene to obtain a reaction mixture containing di(2-dihydroperoxy-2-propyl)benzene; (2) cleaving di(2-dihydroperoxy-2-propyl)benzene in the reaction mixture to obtain a mixture containing crude dihydroxybenzene; (3) distilling the mixture containing crude dihydroxybenzene to obtain a fraction containing acetone from a low boiling side, and a fraction containing dihydroxybenzene from a high boiling side; (4) distilling the fraction containing dihydroxybenzene obtained in the above-mentioned step (3) to obtain a fraction containing dihydroxybenzene from a low boiling side, and a fraction containing heavy material from a high boiling side; and (5) mixing the fraction containing dihydroxybenzene obtained in the above-mentioned step (4) with water, and contacting the resulting mixture with an extraction solvent, followed by separating into an aqueous layer containing dihydroxybenzene and an oily

Abstract: A process for obtaining 3′-epilutein, by epimerization of a lutein-containing extract with an aqueous solution of a strong organic acid which is slowly added under agitation at room temperature, in the presence of an organic aprotic media, to obtain 3′-epilutein(crystals) in a solution which is neutralized with an alkali and extracting the 3′-epilutein from said solution by means of an organic media, then washing and drying the crystals and purifying them by chromatography by means of a chromatography column.

Abstract: A method for producing ortho-alkylated phenols comprising reacting phenols represented by the general formula (1) with monohydric or dihydric alcohol in the presence of germanium oxide under conditions in which said alcohol is in the supercritical condition, wherein each of R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 independently represents a hydrogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Silylmethanethiols have been found to be useful promoters in the acid catalyzed condensation reaction between phenol and acetone to afford bisphenol A. Silylmethanethiols provide improvements in both the rate and selectivity of bisphenol A formation relative to known thiol promoters such as 3-mercaptopropionic acid or hexanethiol.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing bisphenol A in which the life of the acid-type ion-exchange resin used as a catalyst can be prolonged. The method comprises reacting phenol and acetone in the presence of an acid-type ion-exchange resin serving as a catalyst and an alkylmercaptan serving as a promoter to give bisphenol A, in which three or more reactors connected in series are used and all of phenol, all of an alkylmercaptan and a part of acetone are fed into the first reactor while the remaining acetone, divided into plural portions, is into all the second to the last reactors.