Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing 16-Dehydropregnenolone acetate (16DPA) of the formula shown below ##STR1## which process comprises a) acetolysis of diosgenin of the formula shown below ##STR2## by heating in a pressure reactor in the presence of an acetylating agent and a non-polar solvent, maintaining the pressure in the reactor in the range of 4-6 kg/cm.sup.2 and at a temperature in the range of 200.degree.-250.degree. C. to produce pseudodiosgenine acetate of the formula shown below ##STR3## b) Oxidizing the so obtained pseudodiosgenin acetate to obtain diosone of the formula shown below ##STR4## and, c) Hydrolysis and degradation of the diosone so obtained to produce the said 16-Dehydropregnenolone acetate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of alkali salt of carboxyalkyl cellulose with good solubility in salt water which is useful for pertroleum drilling muds, which comprises (a) powdering high alpha cellulose obtained from fast growing plants or bamboo pulp, (b) preparing the alkali metal salt of cellulose by mixing the high alpha cellulose pulp obtained from fast growing plant or bamboo with an alkalinating agent in the presence of an inert organic solvent, (c) etherifying the prepared alkali cellulose to alkali metal salt of cellulose with an etherifying agent at a temperature in the range of 70.degree.-80.degree. C., (d) recovering the alkali metal salt of carboxyalkyl cellulose and (e) drying the resulting alkali metal salt of carboxalkyl cellulose.

Abstract: Benzopyrano[3,4-d]pyridine-2-cyano, carboxamidoximes and carboximidates of the formula ##STR1## wherein R represents -C.ident.N, ##STR2## R.sub.1 is a lower alkyl, R.sub.2 is hydrogen or a lower alkyl and R.sub.3 is a straight or branched alkyl having 1 to 20 carbons, a cycloalkyl-lower alkyl group in which the cycloalkyl group has 3 to 8 carbons or it is an arylalkyl group, and R.sub.4 is a lower alkyl group.The compounds are useful for lowering blood pressure.