Abstract: Production of cumene by alkylation of benzene with propylene on a solid phosphoric acid catalyst, using in a first step a plurality of catalyst beds in series and in a second step a single catalyst bed, using an overall benzene/propylene molar ratio of at least 5:1, continuously delivering the benzene to the first bed, continuously delivering a series of streams of liquid propylene respectively to the first bed and, in the form of a cold stream, between each pair of contiguous beds, and carrying out a partial recycle of reaction products of the second step as a cold stream between the first and the second step, and using a benzene/propylene molar ratio higher than 13:1 at the inlet of each bed of the first step, and higher than 25:1 at the inlet of the bed of the second step.

Abstract: Production of cumene by alkylation of benzene with propylene on a solid phosphoric acid catalyst, using a first step with a plurality of catalyst beds in series and a second step with a single catalyst bed, using an overall benzene/propylene molar ratio of at least 6:1, continuously delivering the benzene to the first bed, continuously delivering a series of streams of liquid propylene respectively to the first bed and, in the form of a cold stream, between each pair of contiguous beds, and using a benzene/propylene molar ratio higher than 16:1 at the inlet of each bed of the first step, and higher than 25:1 at the inlet of the bed of the second step.

Abstract: Cumene is prepared by alkylation of benzene with propylene in the presence of a solid phosphoric acid catalyst in a continuous process by delivering liquid benzene and liquid propylene in a molar ratio lower than 6:1, to a liquid reaction medium consisting essentially of benzene and cumene and containing the catalyst, while maintaining the temperature and composition of said medium substantially uniform in each point, operating at 170.degree.-280.degree. C. and in the liquid phase, and with a contact time higher than about 0.4 hours, expressed as the ratio between volume of catalyst and hourly volume of reagents fed in.

Abstract: Liquid-phase chlorination of n-paraffins is improved as to yield on chlorine and as to restriction to mono-substitution by passing the paraffins up a reactor divided into stages by baffles and feeding chlorine in controlled amounts to each stage.

Abstract: Novel compositions for use in agriculture as soil improvers and fertilizers comprising as essential components ammonium sulfate and ferric oxide hydrate. By-products obtained in the production of titanium dioxide from ilmenite or ilmenite slag in the sulfate process and substantially consisting of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate are reacted with ammonia and that the reaction product obtained, consisting substantially of ammonium sulfate and ferrous hydrate, is subsequently oxidized until a composition is obtained which substantially consists of ammonium sulfate and ferric oxide hydrate.

Abstract: Ethylene oxide is prepared by supplying a gaseous mixture containing ethylene, oxygen and a moderator of the oxidation reaction to a first reaction zone containing a silver-based catalyst, cooling the gas stream leaving this zone, supplying it after enrichment with oxygen and moderator to a second reaction zone containing the silver-based catalyst, recovering ethylene oxide and recycling the residual gases after being combined with fresh reacting gases, the reaction temperature of the second zone being at least 5.degree. C less than the temperature of the first zone.

Abstract: Titanium dioxide is post-treated by flowing it in a tubular zone as a suspension in a stream of carrier gas, injecting a gaseous stream of halides of Si, Ti and Al in said stream and then steam in the resulting mixture, once the latter is homogenized.

Abstract: Methyl acrylate alone or in mixture with acrylic acid is prepared by passing a gaseous stream containing methanol, acrolein and oxygen at a velocity of 5 to 50 cm/sec through a fluidized catalytic bed formed of spherical particles 15 to 100 .mu. in size, said particles comprising from 10 to 80 wt.% silica support, the remainder consisting of an active catalytic component defined by one of the general formulae:Mo.sub.a V.sub.b Me.sub.c O.sub.xMo.sub.a W.sub.d Me.sub.c O.sub.yMo.sub.a V.sub.b W.sub.d Me.sub.c O.sub.zwherein Me is Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Au, Hg, Na, Ba, Ca, Ce, Bi, Th, U, Pb, Sb, Sn, P or B; and wherein a is a number from 6 to 12, b from 1 to 6, c from 0 to 5, d from 1 to 6, x from 20.5 to 58.5, y from 21 to 61.5 and z from 23.5 to 76.5.

Abstract: Methyl acrylate or a mixture of methyl acrylate with acrylic acid are prepared by passing through a fluidized bed of catalyst a gaseous mixture comprising acrolein, methanol and oxygen fed at the bottom of the catalytic bed. A further amount of methanol is fed at one intermediate point at least, between the top and bottom of the catalytic bed. The catalyst is defined by one of the general formulae:Mo.sub.a V.sub.b Me.sub.c O.sub.xMo.sub.a W.sub.d Me.sub.c O.sub.yMo.sub.a V.sub.b W.sub.d Me.sub.c O.sub.zWherein Me is Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Au, Hg, Na, Ba, Ca, Ce, Bi, Th, U, Pb, Sb, Sn, P or B; and wherein a is a value from 6 to 12, b from 1 to 6, c from 0 to 5, d from 1 to 6, x from 20.5 to 58.5, y from 21 to 61.5 and z from 23.5 to 76.5.

Abstract: A process for the joint production of titanium dioxide and sodium tripolyphosphate from ores of titanium and phosphorus, and from sulphuric acid, in which the titanium dioxide is produced by the "sulphate process" and the impure dilute aqueous solution of sulphuric acid resulting therefrom is concentrated and used in the initial attack of phosphatic ones to provide a solution containing vanadium and chromium which can be removed without requiring any preventive conversion. The resulting sodium phosphate is then converted to sodium tripolyphosphate in a known way.

Abstract: The copper and palladium ethylene-oxidation catalyst used in the preparation of vinyl acetate is regenerated in a process including deposition of the metals from solution in a Daniell-type galvanic cell and subsequent reconversion to the halides.

Abstract: A continuous process for polymerizing acrylonitrile monomer or copolymerizing a mixture of acrylonitrile monomer and a further ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith in an aqueous medium and in the presence of a catalytic redox system through a primary and a secondary polymerization step. The primary step is carried out in a plurality of independent distinct reaction zones connected in parallel and operated under similar conditions, in which the conversion of the monomer or mixture of monomers is maintained at a value not exceeding 70%. The secondary step is carried out in a single reaction zone connected in series with each of the primary zones. The conversion of the monomer or mixture of monomers in the secondary zone is maintained at a value not exceeding 80% with respect to the overall feed of monomer or mixture of monomers to the primary zones.

Abstract: Palladium and copper ethylene-oxidation catalysts, used in production of vinyl acetate, are regenerated by a process including electrolytic deposition of the metals and subsequent reconversion to halides.

Abstract: Sulphur dioxide and unreacted monomer or mixture of monomers are separated and recovered from the polymer or copolymer slurry obtained by polymerizing acrylonitrile monomer or copolymerizing acrylonitrile monomer and a further ethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith in the presence of a catalytic system comprising sulphur dioxide or a sulphite, by a process comprising the steps of separately removing the sulphur dioxide and the monomer or mixture of monomers from the slurry in two distinct volatilization zones connected in series under decreasing subatmospheric pressures, scrubbing with water the sulphur dioxide vapors removed in the first zone and vapors of unreacted monomer or monomers removed in the second zone, and recycling the two resulting aqueous solutions to the polymerization or copolymerization medium.

Abstract: Process for the simultaneous separation of ethylene oxide and carbon dioxide from the gaseous mixtures obtained in the direct oxidation of ethylene with oxygen, comprisingA. cooling the gaseous mixture containing ethylene oxide, unreacted ethylene, water vapour, carbon dioxide and inert gases after addition of methanol to a temperature such that the water vapour present separates in the form of an aqueous methanol solution;B. washing the obtained gaseous mixture in an absorption zone with methanol, the methanol being fed into the intermediate part of the absorption zone as a main methanol stream and into the upper part as a secondary methanol stream, maintaining the temperature of the secondary methanol stream at least about 30.degree.C lower than that of the main methanol stream and removing from the upper part a gaseous mixture being practically free of ethylene oxide and containing carbon dioxide and ethylene and from the lower part of the absorption zone a solution of ethylene oxide in methanol; andC.

Abstract: The palladium and copper ethylene-oxidation catalysts used in vinyl acetate production are regenerated by a process including a galvanic displacement of the metals from solution and their reconversion to halides.

Abstract: Compositions useful in agriculture as soil modifiers and fertilizers are prepared by contacting the waste materials, obtained in the manufacture of titanium dioxide from ilmenites by the sulphate process, and which consist essentially of ferrous sulphate, with oxides, hydroxides or carbonates of alkali metals or alkaline earth metals or ammonium carbonate, and then submitting the reaction product to oxidation to convert the ferrous hydroxide into ferric hydroxide. Ferric hydroxide is further converted to ferric sulphate by treatment with sulphuric acid.

Abstract: A process for the production of ethylene glycol ethers by reacting ethylene oxide with monofunctional aliphatic alcohols, which comprisesReacting a monofunctional aliphatic alcohol and ethylene oxide in a first reaction stage in a molar ratio of from about 3:1 to 20:1;Separating excess alcohol from the ethylene glycol ethers obtained as the reaction products in the first stage;Reacting the ethylene glycol ethers with ethylene oxide in a molar ratio of from about 1:1 to 10:1 and with monoethylene glycol ether in a second reaction stage;Separating the monoethylene glycol ether and the diethylene glycol ether from the reaction products of the second stage, maintaining a weight ratio of the discharged fraction to the recycled fraction of from about 0.5:1 to 5:1.The reaction is carried out under abiabatic conditions in the first stage and under isothermal conditions in the second stage.