Abstract: A process for the cracking of carbonaceous liquid feedstock employing a hydrogen donor solvent, derived from the feedstock, in a two-stage cracking operation is disclosed.

Abstract: A process is provided for the skeletal isomerization of straight chain olefins to branched chain olefins by contact at an elevated temperature with a chlorine- or fluorine-containing compound activated alumina catalyst, the alumina having an average particle size of from about 0.5.times.10.sup.-3 cm to about 160.times.10.sup.-3 cm and from 3 to 9% of the pore volume being attributable to pores having radii from about 100 to about 10,000 Angstroms.

Abstract: A process is provided for the skeletal isomerization of straight chain olefins to branched chain olefins wherein the olefin is contacted with an activated alumina catalyst which has a particle size of from about 0.5.times.10.sup.-3 cm to about 160.times.10.sup.-3 cm and at least 10% of the pore volume is attributable to pores having radii between about 100 and 10,000 Angstroms.

Abstract: Heavy carbonaceous liquid having a melting point below 250.degree. C. is upgraded to lighter products by hydrogen donor solvent cracking, using recycled solvent derived at least in part from a middle distillate fraction of either the heavy carbonaceous liquid or from the cracked products which is subjected to one or more catalytic hydroprocessing steps before recycling.

Abstract: Olefin is oxidized in the absence of oxygen with a carboxylic acid in the presence of Mn(IV) oxide promoted with a noble metal to produce an effluent which includes mono and/or diester corresponding to the olefin and acid.

Abstract: In the hydrolysis of nicontinonitrile to nicotinamide, the hydrolysis effluent, containing nicotinamide, unconverted nicotinonitrile, ammonia and some ammonium nicotinate is stripped with gaseous ammonia to produce a molten nicontinamide bottoms, essentially free of nicotinonitrile, containing less than 10 wt % water and an overhead containing water vapor, ammonia and nicotinonitrile. An aqueous solution of ammonia and unreacted nicotinonitrile is recovered from the overhead and recycled to the hydrolysis, with gaseous ammonia in the overhead being recycled to the stripping.

Abstract: A method for the separation and recovery of organic material from rock, including the steps of forming a slurry containing the rock bearing the organic material and hydrogenating said material via a hydrogen transfer agent which is a liquid at standard conditions.

Abstract: A catalyst comprised of oxidized copper, zirconium and an alkali metal is employed for oxidizing an aromatic carboxylic acid to the corresponding phenol; e.g., benzoic acid to phenol.

Abstract: In a process for preparing phthalic anhydride, o-xylene is oxidized with air in a dilute phase transported bed reactor. The reaction is initiated with an o-xylene concentration above the upper flammability limit. Air is injected to a plurality of points along the reactor so as to prevent the oxygen concentration in the reactor from falling too low to maintain catalyst activity, while, at the same time, staying outside of the flammability envelope of the organic-oxygen mixtures. The process permits use of overall o-xylene/oxygen ratios which are substantially higher than were heretofore possible because of safety considerations, thereby minimizing the quantity of inert gases in the system, which reduces the size the complexity of the product recovery system.

Abstract: In a process wherein ethylene or propylene is carbonylated with carbon monoxide to form carboxylic acid esters in the presence of a catalyst complex of one mole of BF.sub.3 and one mole of alcohol, the invention concerns a technique wherein the catalyst is recovered from the reaction product and recycled. The carbonylation is carried out until approximately one-half of the alcohol is consumed, to form a reaction mass containing the BF.sub.3, the alcohol, and the carboxylic acid ester in a 2:1:1 molar ratio. In the first step, the one mole of the free BF.sub.3 is vaporized from the reaction mass. The remaining admixture is a 1:1:1 mixture of the three aforesaid compounds. To this mixture additional alcohol is added and the mixture is subjected to distillation. A carboxylic acid ester/alcohol azeotrope and residual alcohol are removed by the distillation, to leave a residue containing a 1:2 BF.sub.3 /alcohol complex. This complex is combined with an additional mole of BF.sub.

Abstract: A nitrile, such as terephthalonitrile or nicotinonitrile is hydrolyzed, in the vapor phase, in the presence of a solid acid catalyst, with ammonia which is evolved in the reaction and absorbed by the catalyst being stripped from the catalyst to reduce the production of intermediate amide products.

Abstract: A nitrile, such as terephthalonitrile or nicotinonitrile is reacted with water, in the vapor phase, in the presence of a catalyst, such as supported phosphoric acid, to produce the corresponding carboxylic acid.

Abstract: Hydrogen cyanide, carbon dioxide and ammonia present in a nitrile production effluent are recovered as an aqueous solution containing ammonium carbonate and ammonium cyanide. The cyanide is hydrolyzed to ammonia and carbon monoxide, followed by recovery of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and ammonia, all free of cyanide, from the hydrolyzed solution. In this manner, ammonium values are recovered from the cyanide byproduct and recovered streams are free of cyanide.

Abstract: Isophthalonitrile (IPN) is recovered from an isophthalonitrile production reaction effluent, which contains water vapor, by direct contact quenching of the effluent with an organic quench liquid to cool the effluent to a temperature at which essentially all of the isophthalonitrile is condensed as a solution in the organic quench liquid, without condensation of water vapor. In this manner, isophthalonitrile is recovered from the effluent and separated from water vapor, thereby preventing the liquid phase hydrolysis of IPN which occurred in prior art procedures.

Abstract: In an integrated process for electrolytic production of chlorine and the production of an olefin oxide via the chlorohydrin wherein the chlorohydrin is contacted with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium chloride from the cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell, to produce the oxide and brine, the brine is contacted with gaseous chlorine to oxidize organic impurities to volatile organic fragments, which are stripped from the brine, prior to recycling the brine to the electrolytic cell.

Abstract: A nitrile, such as terephthalonitrile is catalytically reacted with water, in the vapor phase, to produce a gaseous effluent containing the corresponding carboxylic acid, as well as unreacted nitrile, ammonia and water. The acid product is separated from the gas by sublimation, preferably at a temperature above the dew point of the other components of the mixture.

Abstract: A carbonaceous feedstock, obtained from either a petroleum or coal source, is hydrodenitrified by the use of a supported sulfided catalyst containing nickel, molybdenum and iron, with the molybdenum being present in an amount of from about 10% to about 20%, by weight, calculated as MoO.sub.3, based on total weight of catalyst, the iron to molybdenum atomic ratio being from about 0.05 to about 0.5, and the nickel to molybdenum atomic ratio being from about 0.2 to about 0.6.The process effectively denitrifies high nitrogen content feeds.

Abstract: A piperidine, such as methyl piperidine is converted to the corresponding pyridine by the use of a supported vanadia catalyst. Nicotinonitrile can be produced by conversion of 3-methyl piperidine to 3-methyl pyridine with a supported vanadia catalyst, followed by ammonolysis to nicotinonitrile by the use of a supported vanadia catalyst.

Abstract: Nicotinamide is produced by aqueous ammonia hydrolysis of nicotinonitrile wherein the conversion is limited to at least 30% and no greater than 70%, with the nicotinonitrile concentration, expressed as weight product amide per 100 pounds of water, being at least 100 parts and no greater than 300 parts, with the hydrolysis being effected in the presence of ammonium nicotinate in an amount sufficient to essentially eliminate net production thereof. Ammonia and nicotinonitrile are stripped from the hydrolysis effluent, and nicotinamide recovered, by crystallization, from the stripped hydrolysis effluent.

Abstract: In a process wherein ethylene or propylene is carbonylated with carbon monoxide to form carboxylic acid esters in the presence of a catalyst complex of one mole of BF.sub.3 and one mole of alcohol, the invention concerns a technique wherein the catalyst is recovered from the reaction product and recycled. The carbonylation is carried out until approximately one-half of the alcohol is consumed, to form a reaction mass containing the BF.sub.3, the alcohol, and the carboxylic acid ester in a 2:1:1 molar ratio. In the first step, the one mole of the free BF.sub.3 is vaporized from the reaction mass. The remaining admixture is a 1:1:1 mixture of the three aforesaid compounds. To this mixture additional alcohol is added and the mixture is subjected to distillation. A carboxylic acid ester/alcohol azeotrope and residual alcohol are removed by the distillation, to leave a residue containing a 1:2 BF.sub.3 /alcohol complex. This complex is combined with an additional mole of BF.sub.