Abstract: A process is provided for preparing polyhydroxycarboxylic acids by the selective oxidation of di-, tri-, oligo- and polysaccharides in an alkaline medium using an oxygenous gas in the presence of palladium on a carrier as catalyst and bismuth as promoter at a palladium concentration in the reaction mixture of at least about 40 mg/l and a molar ratio of bismuth to palladium in the range of from about 1:5 to about 1:40, in which process towards the end of the reaction, as soon as a strong increase is observed in the oxygen concentration in the liquid phase, the oxygen supply is reduced until it is not more than about 20 ppm. In this manner, virtually all of the polysaccharide added beforehand is converted into the desired end product without an unacceptably high concentration of bismuth in the end product.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of an aliphatic carbonyl derivative compound having a normal:iso ratio of at least 3, and preferably 4, selected from aliphatic carboxylic acids, alkylesters of aliphatic carboxylic acids and anhydrides of aliphatic carboxylic acids by the hydrocarboxylation of terminal linear olefins in the presence of a catalyst system comprising (1) a rhodium containing compound, (2) a halide promoter selected from iodine, bromine and compounds thereof and (3) a trisubstituted organic compound of a group-15 element, preferably a phosphine or arsine. This process constitutes an improvement over known processes since it provides a one-step, lower pressure, higher reaction rate method of producing carboxylic acid derivatives having an increased normal:iso ratio in the absence of potentially hazardous chlorinated hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method of producing ethyl acetate by reacting acetic acid with ethylene in the presence of a solid acidic catalyst comprising a zeolite selected from the group consisting of MCM-22, MCM-49, MCM-56, ZSM-5 and zeolite-Beta.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing methyl methacrylate, which comprises: subjecting isobutylene and/or tert-butanol to a gas phase catalytic oxidation reaction with molecular oxygen to thereby obtain gas (a) containing methacrolein gas and steam; introducing gas (a) and a methacrolein/methanol liquid mixture (I) into a dehydration tower at a lower portion thereof and at an upper portion thereof, respectively, thereby allowing the liquid mixture (I) to flow downwardly in the dehydration tower and contact countercurrently with the gas (a) in the dehydration tower, to thereby obtain a dehydrated gas mixture (b) containing methacrolein gas and methanol gas; introducing the dehydrated gas mixture (b) and a methacrolein/methanol liquid mixture (II) into an absorption tower at a lower portion thereof and at an upper portion thereof, respectively, thereby allowing the liquid mixture (II) to flow downwardly and contact countercurrently with the dehydrated gas mixture (b) in the absorption tower, thereby obtaining a m

Abstract: Process for making 3-pentenoic acid by reacting butadiene with carbon monoxide in the presence of nickel and an iodide source.