Abstract: Synthesying vinyl acetate utilizing a catalyst for the production of vinyl acetate by reaction of ethylene, oxygen and acetic acid comprising a porous support on the porous surfaces of which is deposited metallic copper in a zone surrounded by deposits of catalytically effective amounts of metallic palladium and gold, neither of which is substantially intermingled with said copper.

Abstract: A catalyst for the production of vinyl acetate by reaction of ethylene, oxygen and acetic acid comprising a porous support on the porous surfaces of which is deposited metallic copper in a zone surrounded by deposits of catalytically effective amounts of metallic palladium and gold, neither of which is substantially intermingled with said copper. Methods for preparing the catalyst and for synthesizing vinyl acetate utilizing the catalyst are also disclosed.

Abstract: An alcohol such as methanol is reacted with carbon monoxide in a liquid reaction medium containing a rhodium catalyst stabilized with an iodide salt, especially lithium iodide, along with alkyl iodide such as methyl iodide and alkyl acetate such as methyl acetate in specified proportions. With a finite concentration of water in the reaction medium the product is the carboxylic acid instead of, for example, the anhydride. The present reaction system not only provides an acid product of unusually low water content at unexpectedly favorable reaction rates but also, whether the water content is low or, as in the case of prior-art acetic acid technology, relatively high, is characterized by unexpectedly high catalyst stability; i.e., it is resistant to catalyst precipitation out of the reaction medium.

Abstract: An alcohol such as methanol is reacted with carbon monoxide in a liquid reaction medium containing a rhodium catalyst stabilized with an iodide salt, especially lithium iodide, along with alkyl iodide such as methyl iodide and alkyl acetate such as methyl acetate in specified proportions. With a finite concentration of water in the reaction medium the product is the carboxylic acid instead of, for example, the anhydride. The present reaction system not only provides an acid product of unusually low water content at unexpectedly favorable reaction rates but also, whether the water content is low or, as in the case of prior-art acetic acid technology, relatively high, is characterized by unexpectedly high catalyst stability; i.e., it is resistant to catalyst precipitation out of the reaction medium.

Abstract: An alcohol such as methanol is reacted with carbon monoxide in a liquid reaction medium containing a rhodium catalyst stabilized with an iodide salt, especially lithium iodide, along with alkyl iodide such as methyl iodide and alkyl acetate such as methyl acetate in specified proportions. With a finite concentration of water in the reaction medium the product is the carboxylic acid instead of, for example, the anhydride. The present reaction system not only provides an acid product of unusually low water content at unexpectedly favorable reaction rates but also, whether the water content is low or, as in the case of prior-art acetic acid technology, relatively high, is characterized by unexpectedly high catalyst stability; i.e., it is resistant to catalyst precipitation out of the reaction medium.

Abstract: The carbonylation of an alcohol to produce a carboxylic acid, especially methanol to produce acetic acid, in a low water reaction medium containing a rhodium catalyst stabilized with an iodide salt, especially lithium iodide, along with alkyl iodide such as methyl iodide and alkyl acetate such as methyl acetate in specified proportions is improved by the addition of hydrogen in the feed gas to the low water reaction medium to obtain a reactor hydrogen partial pressure of at least about 4 psi. The presence of hydrogen in the reaction medium increases significantly the carbonylation reaction rate and reduces formation of byproduct carbon dioxide. The present reaction system not only provides an acid product of unusually low water content at unexpectedly favorable reaction rates but also, whether the water content is low or, as in the case of prior-art acetic acid technology, relatively high, is characterized by unexpectedly high catalyst stability; i.e.

Abstract: Black acid or the sulfuric acid residue obtained in the manufacture of ethyl acrylate by reaction of ethylene and acrylic acid in the presence of sulfuric acid is heated and distilled in a distillation zone in the presence of a solvent to form an overhead mixture comprising an organic phase containing ethyl acrylate and solvent, and an aqueous phase containing water, solvent and acrylic acid. The aqueous phase is recycled to the distillation zone for recovery of additional acrylic acid value from the organic phase.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing 1,3-glycols is disclosed. The process comprises reacting an epoxide with synthesis gas in the presence of rhodium and a phosphine.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing 1,3-glycols is disclosed. The process comprises reacting an epoxide with synthesis gas in the presence of rhodium and a phosphine.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of 2-hydroxyphenyl lower alkyl ketones, e.g. 2-hydroxyacetophenone, by reacting phenol and a lower alkanoic acid, e.g. acetic acid or an ester of phenol and a lower alkanoic acid, e.g. phenyl acetate, in the presence of a silicalite catalyst containing about 700 to 14000 ppm of alumina, which has been calcined at least once from the as synthesized form. The reaction is preferably conducted in the vapor phase in the presence of an inert gas such as nitrogen.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of rhodium and iodine values and the separation of rhodium from corrosion metal salts in the manufacture of acetic acid by the carbonylation of methanol wherein the reaction mixture contains from about none to about 20 wt % of water, from about 2 to about 20 wt % of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal iodide, methanol, acetic acid, methyl iodide, and carbon monoxide which comprises: (1) removing at least a portion of the reaction solution from the reactor, (2) removing at least a portion of the product acetic acid from the portion in (1) by distillation, (3) adding an excess of methyl acetate to the product depleted material in (2) and heating the resultant mixture to a sufficiently high temperature to convert the methyl acetate to methyl iodide (4) removing the resulting methyl iodide by distillation, (5) continuing to heat the resulting mixture at a temperature and time sufficient to precipitate the rhodium as rhodium iodide, and (6) separating the rhodium iodide and returning it

Abstract: A process for producing methyl formate is described by the dehydrogenation of methanol over a catalyst produced by reducing a precursor comprising copper oxide and a spinel structure support comprising the oxides of zinc and aluminum, said precursor containing 10 to 80 percent copper.