Abstract: A liquid phase polymerization process for preparing low molecular weight, highly reactive polyisobutylene. The process includes the steps of providing a feedstock containing isobutylene and a catalyst composition made up of a complex of BF3 and a complexing agent. The feedstock and the catalyst composition are introduced into a residual reaction mixture in a reaction zone where the residual reaction mixture, the feedstock and the catalyst composition are intimately intermixed so as to present an intimately intermixed reaction admixture in said reaction zone. The intimately intermixed reaction admixture is maintained in its intimately intermixed condition and kept at a temperature of at least about 0° C. while the same is in the reaction zone, whereby the isobutylene therein is polymerized to form polyisobutylene having a high degree of terminal unsaturation. A product stream is withdrawn from the reaction zone.

Abstract: A novel liquid phase polymerization process for preparing a polyolefin product having preselected properties is disclosed. The process includes the steps of providing a liquid feedstock which contains an olefinic component and a catalyst composition consisting of a stable complex of BF3 and a complexing agent therefor. The feedstock may comprise any one or more of a number of olefins including branched olefins such as isobutylene, C3 to C15 linear alpha olefins and C4 to C15 reactive non-alpha olefins. The feedstock and the catalyst composition are introduced into a residual reaction mixture recirculating in a loop reactor reaction zone provided in the tube side of a shell and tube heat exchanger at a recirculation rate sufficient to cause intimate intermixing of the residual reaction mixture, the added feedstock and the added catalyst composition.

Abstract: A 1-phenyl-2-nitroalcohol of the formula I ##STR1## having a (1R*,2S*) stereoisomer and a (1R*2R*) stereoisomer is produced by reacting benzaldehyde with a nitroalkane in the presence of an amine catalyst. The resulting 1-phenyl-2-nitroalcohol includes at least 50% of the (1R*,2S*) stereoisomer.