Abstract: A process is provided herein for extracting organic toxic contaminants including pentachlorophenol, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and polychlorinated dibenzofurans, from wood, e.g., utility poles, fence posts, or railway ties. The process comprises extracting the wood with a supercritical fluid in conjunction with an entrainer having wood swelling properties and an agent to break the hydrogen bond between the organic toxic contaminants and the wood, at conventional supercritical fluid extraction temperatures and pressures. The process is further improved by exposing, either in a slurry of the wood phase, or in a liquid phase resulting from such extraction, the contaminants to UV, e.g., sunlight, in the presence of a photosensitizer. The present invention also provides for the photodegradation of a solution of organic toxic chemicals including pentachlorophenol, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and polychlorinated dibenzofurans, by exposing such solution to UV, e.g.

Abstract: A particulate, precalcined low silica content zirconia, especially one stabilizer with yttria, is useful as a catalyst support or as a heat transfer solids component for conducting chemical reactions at high temperature, in oxidizing, reducing or hydrothermal conditions, especially in syn gas operations. An admixture of precalcined particulate low silica content zirconia, particularly a low silica content yttria-stabilized zirconia, is employed in a preferred embodiment as a heat transfer solid, in concentrations ranging generally from about 10 wt. % to about 99.9 wt. % with a particulate catalyst notably a nickel-on-alumina catalyst, in concentration ranging generally from about 0. 1 wt. % to about 90 wt. %. Such an admixture provides a particularly useful catalytic contact mass in high temperature oxidizing, reducing and hydrothermal environments, notably in conducting synthesis gas generation operations.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a stable m-vinylphenol composition comprising m-vinylphenol and tolylene-2,4-diamine and/or N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine added thereto, a method of stabilizing m-vinylphenol, which comprises adding tolylene-2,4-diamine and/or N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine to m-vinylphenol, and a method of purifying m-vinylphenol by distillation, which comprises adding tolylene-2,4-diamine and/or N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine to m-vinylphenol upon the purification of m-vinylphenol by distillation.

Abstract: Glycerine di-t-butyl ether is prepared by the liquid phase reaction of glycerine and the reaction being carried out with separate liquid phases comprised of isobutylene and glycerine.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the direct hydrogenation of triglycerides which comprises contacting and reacting one or more triglyceride with hydrogen under liquid phase hydrogenation conditions in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper compound, a zinc compound, at least one rare earth compound, and, optionally, a compound selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zirconium, magnesium, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of cyclopropylmethanol(hydroxymethylcyclopropane) by the hydrogenation of cyclopropanecarboxaldehyde in the presence of a cobalt or nickel catalyst.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the direct hydrogenation of methyl esters which comprises contacting and reacting one or more detergent range methyl esters with hydrogen under predominantly liquid phase hydrogenation conditions in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper compound, a zinc compound, and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zirconium, magnesium, a rare earth and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: An improvement in a process for the haloalkylation of a first aromatic compound having at least one free ring position with a haloalkylating reagent and in the presence of a haloalkylation catalyst, said process producing a haloalkylated first aromatic compound and a dimeric reaction by-product of said first aromatic compound having at least one free ring position, the improvement comprising treating said by-product with a second aromatic compound having at least one free ring position the same or different than said first aromatic compound in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of an acid for a time and at a temperature sufficient to cleave said diarylalkane by-product and produce thereby said first aromatic compound having at least one free ring position.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preparation of pentafluoroethane from chlorotetrafluoroethane (the yield of pentafluoroethane is at least 50 mole percent based upon the amount of chlorofluoroethane reacted with HF) with particularly low levels of chlorofluoroethanes. The process involves providing sufficient pretreatment (where necessary) of a Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 catalyst with at least one agent selected from the group consisting of CO, H.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and mixtures thereof in the gaseous state such that the total chlorofluoroethane content of said product stream is less than 1 mole percent. Certain high surface area catalysts may be used without such pretreatment.

Abstract: Process for preparing primary amines from aldehydes by mixing an aldehyde with a diluent, where in the case of an alcohol or of water as diluent the mixing temperature is at most 5.degree. C. to prevent the formation of the hemiacetal or the aldehyde hydrate, and bringing the mixture into contact with a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen and hydrogenation catalyst, whereby the formation of an imine is prevented, at temperatures of from 60.degree. to 180.degree. C. and pressures of from 20 to 60 bar, at least 15 mol of ammonia being used per mol of aldehyde group, and also an apparatus for carrying out the process.

Abstract: 4,4'-Dihydroxy-alpha-alkylstilbenes of high purity are prepared by reacting at a temperature of from about -20.degree. C. to about 20.degree. C. a mixture of (1) at least one alpha-haloketone, (2) at least one phenolic hydroxyl-containing compound or alkoxy-containing aromatic compound, and (3) at least one strong protonic acid or Lewis acid; such that the mole ratio of phenolic hydroxyl-containing compound or alkoxy-containing aromatic compound:alpha-haloketone(s) is from 0.1:1 to 1.9:1, and the mole ratio of phenolic hydroxyl-containing compound or alkoxy-containing aromatic compound:alpha-haloketone(s):strong protonic acid or Lewis acid is from about 0.1:1:0.0026 to about 1.9:1:0.95. The high purity 4,4'-dihydroxy-alpha-alkylstilbenes are useful for the advancement of epoxy resins, for the preparation of phenoxy resins and for the preparation of epoxy resins.

Abstract: Enantioselective hydroformylation of vinyl compounds using a catalyst composition of a chiral carbohydrate phosphorous ligand with a Rh, Pt, Co or Ir metal, to produce chiral 2-substituted propanals, wherein the phosphorous of the ligand is substituted with electron withdrawing groups.

Abstract: A method is provided for converting a 2,4,6-trialkylphenol, such as mesitol, to a dialkylphenol, for example 2,6-dimethylphenol, by effecting the selective oxidation of the 2,4,6-trialkylphenol, followed by the deformylation of the resulting 3, 5-dialkyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing an aromatic hydroxylic compound by acid decomposition of a hydroperoxide having the general formula (I) ##STR1## wherein Ar represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group having a valence of n; and n represents an integer of 1 or 2, in the presence of an acid catalyst, thereby to provide an aromatic hydroxylic compound having the general formula (II)Ar--(OH)n (II)wherein Ar and n are the same as above defined, characterized in that tetrafluoroboric acid, hexafluorosilicic acid or hexafluorophosphoric acid is used as the acid catalyst. According to this process, the aromatic hydroxylic compound is obtained in a high yield while the by-production of hydroxyacetone is effectively suppressed.

Abstract: A method comprising purifying impure bisphenol-A by fractional melt crystallization in a falling film dynamic crystallizer.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of 4,4'-isopropylidene bis(2,6-dibromophenol), also known as tetrabrombisphenol A, that dramatically reduces the formation of alkyl bromide by-products. Bisphenol A is brominated with a C.sub.3 to C.sub.5 n-alcohol in a water mixture to suppress the formation of alkyl bromides. The bisphenol A is brominated between 15.degree. C. and 25.degree. C. and then heated at a 55.degree. C. to 70.degree. C. to insure bromination is complete. The tetrabrombisphenol A is then filtered from the reaction mixture and dried. Tetrabromobisphenol A produced from this process typically has a melting point of 180.degree. C. or higher, and is typically greater than 98% pure. Hydrogen peroxide is optionally combined with the reactants to reduce the amount of added bromine necessary for the bromination of the tetrabromobisphenol A.

Abstract: A method for preparing methanol from a synthesis gas having less than 90% the stoichiometric amount of H.sub.2 to convert the CO and CO.sub.2 content of the synthesis gas to methanol by recycling into combination with such synthesis gas a sufficient amount of a hydrogen rich gas stream obtained as a permeate gas by diffusion of the process tail gas to provide a combined synthesis-recycle gas stream having at least about 95% of the stoichiometric amount of H.sub.2 to convert its CO and CO.sub.2 content to methanol. In a preferred embodiment of the invention compressed air is taken from a gas turbine to form the oxidant steam used in forming the synthesis gas, such synthesis gas in combination with the hydrogen rich recycle gas is processed through a series of methanol convertors to methanol and the non-permeate portion of the tail gas from this methanol process is returned as fuel to the gas turbine.

Abstract: A process for concurrently producing diisopropyl ether and isopropyl ethyl ether from water, ethanol from an independent source, and propylene, has been developed. The product mixture may be used as a high octane number booster due mainly to the presence of the diisopropyl ether and to a lesser extent, the isopropyl ethyl ether. Furthermore, the product mixture, upon blending with gasoline, incorporates a renewable resource into the gasoline since the isopropyl ethyl ether is produced from ethanol. Optionally, the product mixture may be passed through an acid removal zone to remove acid, if present, before being recycled or further processed. A portion of the product mixture is recycled to the reaction zone to increase the conversion of reactants to products.

Abstract: A procedure for forming methylmalonaldehyde from propionaldehyde, an alkyl formate and a sodium alkoxide, utilizing a crossed-Claisen condensation is disclosed. The procedure avoids the formation of aldol condensation products. Also disclosed are processes for preparing 3-alkoxy-2-methylpropenals such as 2-methyl-3-(2-methyl-2-propenoxy)propenal from methylmalonaldehyde. The latter products are useful in the synthesis of carotenoids.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated aldehyde which comprises subjecting an allyl-hexamethylenetetraammonium derivative to hydrolysis in water and an organic solvent homogeneously immiscible with water. The resulting .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated aldehyde is useful as medicaments, flavorings, etc., or as raw materials for their production.