Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing a sulfonyl ether comprising the steps of: v) reacting a sulfonic acid with an anhydride, under continuous vacuum distillation conditions, to form a carboxysulfonate; vi) reacting the carboxysulfonate with an optionally substituted cycloalkane ring containing at least 3 heteroatoms to form a sulfonyl ether pre-mix comprising a sulfonyl ether and at least two additional reaction products each containing at least one ether linkage; vii) subjecting the pre-mix to continuous vacuum distillation conditions to remove at least some of the additional reaction products from the sulfonyl ether pre-mix to provide a crude sulfonyl ether product; and viii) purifying the crude sulfonyl ether product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of chloramine comprising supplying a first reagent stream comprising chlorine gas and a second reagent stream comprising ammonia gas to a reaction zone maintained at a temperature of less than 275° C. and configured to allow expansion of the first and second reagent streams in the reaction zone to an extent sufficient to generate chloramine as a gas and ammonium chloride as a free falling solid. The invention also provides a chemical reactor suitable fur operating this process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous process for the cyanation of hydrogenated ?-ketoesters in a cyanation zone maintained under conditions of temperature and pressure effective for cyanation of a hydrogenated R-ketoester. A substrate comprising a hydrogenated ?-ketoester is continuously supplyed to the cyanation zone together with a cyanide. The substrate is contacted with the cyanide in the cyanation zone for a period effective for at least partial cyanation of the hydrogenated ?-ketoester and a product stream is continuously extracted from the cyanation zone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous process for the enantioselective catalytic hydrogenation of ?-ketoesters comprising providing a catalytic hydrogenation zone and maintaining it under conditions of temperature and pressure effective for the catalytic hydrogenation of ?-ketoesters; continuously supplying to the catalytic hydrogenation zone a substrate comprising a ?-ketoester to be hydrogenated, a catalyst effective for enantioselective hydrogenation of the ?-ketoester and hydrogen; contacting the substrate, the catalyst and the hydrogen in the hydrogenation zone for a residence time effective for at least partial enantioselective catalytic hydrogenation of the ?-ketoester; (d) continuously withdrawing from the hydrogenation zone a reaction product mixture comprising enantioselectively hydrogenated ?-ketoester, unreacted ?-ketoester, catalyst and hydrogen; (e) supplying the reaction product mixture to a separation zone and separating at least some of the enantioselectively hydrogenated ?-ketoester