Abstract: A peanut cleaner for cleaning freshly harvested peanuts in the field includes structure for initially vibrating the peanuts to loosen moist field soil, trash, fines and clinging vine segments therefrom, structure for thereafter subjecting the loosened soil, field trash, fines, vine segments and peanuts to a free fall downwardly along a substantially vertical flow path while subjecting the vertical flow path to a lateral and slightly upwardly inclined flow of at least slightly dehumidified air to thereby blow at least the lighter loosened soil, field trash, fines and vine segments laterally from the vertical flow path of peanuts and still further structure for repeatedly elevating the peanuts from a reticulated support surface therefor and allowing the peanuts to free fall, by gravity, back downwardly onto the reticulated surface to thereby loosen and remove therefrom any remaining clinging soil, field trash, fines and vine segments from the peanuts.

Abstract: A knurled horizontal roller is journaled for rotation from a mount and a vertically elongated abutment member having upper and lower ends is pivotally supported at its upper end from said mount for angular displacement about a horizontal axis generally paralleling the axis of the roller. One side of the abutment member includes a partial cylindrical surface opposing one side of the roller and yieldable stop structure is operatively connected between the mount and the lower end of the abutment member yieldingly resisting movement of the lower end of the abutment member away from the lower periphery of the roller. The roller may be either rotated by hand through a hand crank operatively connected thereto or motor driven through the utilization of a pneumatic wrench or a variable speed drill, or the like.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the use of cyclic amide alkoxylate compounds as additives in fuel compositions having a major amount of a mixture of hydrocarbons in the gasoline boiling range and a minor amount of one or more cyclic amide alkoxylate compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein x is from 2 to 20 and y is from 1 to 50. R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently hydrogen, hydrocarbyl of 1 to 100 carbon atoms or substituted hydrocarbyl of 1 to 100 carbon atoms. R.sub.3 is hydrocarbyl of 1 to 100 carbon atoms or substituted hydrocarbyl of 1 to 100 carbon atoms and R.sub.4 is independently hydrocarbyl of 2 to 100 carbon atoms or substituted hydrocarbyl of 2 to 100 carbon atoms. R.sub.5 is hydrogen, hydrocarbyl of 1 to 100 carbon atoms, or substituted hydrocarbyl of 1 to 100 carbon atoms or acyl of 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide adducts of organic compounds having active hydrogen atoms are prepared by a process which comprises contacting and reacting an alkylene oxide reactant comprising one or more C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 vicinal alkylene oxides with an active hydrogen containing reactant comprising one or more compounds having active hydrogen atoms in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of one or more soluble basic compounds of one or more elements of the lanthanum series (atomic numbers 57-71, inclusive). The product alkoxylates are known to be useful, for instance, as nonionic surfactants, wetting and emulsifying agents, solvents, and chemical intermediates. When the process is applied to the preparation of alkylene oxide, particularly ethylene oxide, adducts of alkanols, particularly primary alkanols in the C.sub.6 to C.sub.24 range, the product is a valuable narrow range nonionic surfactant, characterized by relatively narrow distribution of alkylene oxide adducts.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide adducts of organic compounds having active hydrogen atoms are prepared by a process which comprises contacting and reacting an alkylene oxide reactant comprising one or more vicinal alkylene oxides with an active hydrogen containing reactant comprising one or more compounds having active hydrogen atoms in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of one or more compounds of one or more of the rare earth elements. The product alkoxylates are known to be useful, for instance, as nonionic surfactants, wetting and emulsifying agents, solvents, and chemical intermediates.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide adducts of organic compounds having active hydrogen atoms are prepared by a process which comprises contacting and reacting an alkylene oxide reactant comprising one or more vicinal alkylene oxides with an active hydrogen containing reactant comprising one or more compounds having active hydrogen atoms in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of one or more of the phosphate salts of the rare earth elements. The product alkoxylates are known to be useful, for instance, as nonionic surfactants, wetting and emulsifying agents, solvents, and chemical intermediates.

Abstract: An improved process for the preparation of narrow-range alkanol alkoylates by the addition reaction of higher alkanols with alkylene oxides, particularly ethylene oxide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,816 describes a process in which alkylene oxides are added to alkanols by reaction in the presence of a catalyst prepared by contacting a sulfur-containing acid such as sulfuric acid with one or more aluminum compounds selected from the group consisting of aluminum alcoholates and aluminum phenolates. Under the present invention, that process is improved by carrying out the process in the further presence of water, provided that certain critical restrictions are placed upon the proportions of the water and of the sulfuric acid and aluminum catalyst components. The process improvement of the invention offers substantial improvement in alkoxylation reaction rate and/or selectivity of the reaction to the desired alkanol alkoxylate products, rather than to by-products such as polyalkylene glycols.

Abstract: Certain mixtures of the ethylene oxide adducts of higher carbon number tertiary thiols, having a reduced content of free thiols and lower (i.e., 1 to 3 mol) ethylene oxide adducts, exhibit improved detergency performance, particularly in high temperature laundry applications.

Abstract: Olefinically unsaturated hydrocarbons are reacted with maleic anhydride to form the corresponding succinic anhydride in the presence of an alkoxide of zinc or dialkyl zinc which prevents side-reactions. These products are used for the preparation of anticorrosive agents.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide adducts of higher alkanols are prepared by a process which comprises contacting and reacting an alkylene oxide reactant comprising one or more C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 vicinal alkylene oxides with an alkanol reactant comprising one or more C.sub.6 to C.sub.30 alkanols in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst which combines (i) one or more sulfur-containing acids with (ii) one or more aluminum compounds selected from the group consisting of aluminum alcoholates and aluminum phenolates, the relative molar ratio of component (i) to component (ii) being in the range from about 0.1:1 to 1:1. Alkanol alkoxylates, and particularly alkanol ethoxylates, prepared in this manner are characterized by a relatively narrow-range distribution of alkylene oxide adducts and by a relatively low content of residual alkanol. The products of this process are nonionic surfactants, particularly useful as components of detergent formulations.

Abstract: An integrated keyholder/container to facilitate carrying keys together with other important items, such as medication or a wheel lock. The unit includes a cylindrical member with a side wall terminating in an end wall to form a large receptacle. A cap removably covers a large receptacle and has an arm extending outwardly from its side wall. The arm has a bore through which a key ring passes. Another cap removably covers the end wall forming a small receptacle. The cap has a transparent end wall. The small receptacle contains a watch movement whose face is visable through the transparent end wall.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide adducts of higher alkanols are prepared by a process which comprises contacting and reacting an alkylene oxide reactant comprising one or more C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 vicinal alkylene oxides with an alkanol reactant comprising one or more C.sub.6 to C.sub.30 alkanols in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst which combines (i) one or more sulfur-containing acids with (ii) one or more aluminum compounds selected from the group consisting of aluminum alcoholates and aluminum phenolates, the relative molar ratio of component (i) to component (ii) being in the range from about 0.1:1 to 1:1. Alkanol alkoxylates, and particularly alkanol ethoxylates, prepared in this manner are characterized by a relatively narrow-range distribution of alkylene oxide adducts and by a relatively low content of residual alkanol. The products of this process are nonionic surfactants, particularly useful as components of detergent formulations.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide adducts of higher alkanols are prepared by a process which comprises contacting and reacting an alkylene oxide reactant comprising one or more C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 vicinal alkylene oxides with an alkanol reactant comprising one or more C.sub.6 to C.sub.30 alkanols in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst which combines (i) one or more phosphorus-containing acids with (ii) one or more aluminum compounds selected from the group consisting of aluminum alcoholates and aluminum phenolates, the relative molar ratio of component (i) to component (ii) being in the range from about 0.1:1 to 2.5:1. Alkanol alkoxylates, and particularly alkanol ethoxylates, prepared in this manner are characterized by a relatively narrow-range distribution of alkylene oxide adducts and by a relatively low content of residual alkanol. The products of this process are nonionic surfactants, particularly useful as components of detergent formulations.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide adducts of organic compounds having an active hydrogen are prepared by a process in which an active hydrogen reactant and an alkylene oxide reactant are reacted in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of one or more bimetallic oxo compounds of the formula (RO).sub.n M--O--M'--O--M(OR).sub.n, wherein each R is (independently) an optionally-substituted organic moiety, M' is a divalent metal selected from the elements of Groups Va, VIa, and VIIa of the Periodic Table, each M is (independently) a trivalent or tetravalent metal, and each n is 2 if the adjacent M is trivalent of 3 if the adjacent M is tetravalent. The products are useful, for instance, as nonionic surfactants in detergent formulations. In certain preferred embodiments, the process yields a product having a very desirable distribution of alkylene oxide adducts.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide adducts of organic compounds having an active hydrogen are prepared by a process in which an active hydrogen reactant and an alkylene oxide reactant are reacted in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of one or more bimetallic oxo compounds of the formula (RO).sub.n M--O--M'--O--M(OR).sub.n, wherein each R is (independently) an optionally-substituted organic moiety, M' is a divalent metal selected from the elements of Groups VIII, Ib, IIb, IIIb, and IVb of the Periodic Table, each M is (independently) a trivalent or tetravalent metal, and each n is 2 if the adjacent M is trivalent of 3 if the adjacent M is tetravalent. The products are useful, for instance, as nonionic surfactants in detergent formulations. In certain preferred embodiments, the process yields a product having a very desirable distribution of alkylene oxide adducts.

Abstract: Thiol alkoxylates having utility, for instance, an nonionic surfactants in detergent formulations are prepared by the reaction of alkane thiols with alkylene oxides in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of one or more basic alkoxylation catalysts and additionally in the presence of as a reaction promoter added thiol alkoxylate having in the alkoxylate molecule from one to about 30 adducts of one or more alkylene oxides. The presence of the added thiol alkoxylate promoter improves the handling of the reaction mixture and facilitates the production of thiol alkoxylates having low content of polyalkylene glycol byproduct.

Abstract: The reaction effluent from an oxydehydrogenation reactor, used in the preparation of t-butylstyrene from t-butylethylbenzene, is subjected to liquid-liquid extraction with a sulfolane-water mixture to separate unreacted t-butylethylbenzene from t-butylstyrene.

Abstract: Dialkenylbenzene compounds, present in t-butylstyrene in small quantities as impurities are removed by liquid/liquid extraction using aqueous sulfolane as solvent.

Abstract: Di-, tri- and tetra-substituted epoxides are isomerized to allylic alcohols in the presence of a metal alkoxide catalyst in which the metal is selected from early transition metals of Groups 1VA and VA and in the absence of a solvent.

Abstract: Alkanol alkoxylates having utility, for instance, as nonionic surfactants in detergent formulations are prepared by the reaction of C.sub.6 to C.sub.30 alkanols with C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 alkylene oxides in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of one or more soluble basic compounds of magnesium and additionally in the presence of as a reaction activator at least about 2 percent by mole, calculated on moles of alkanol, of alkoxylates of one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.30 alkanols having in the alkoxylate molecules from one to about 30 adducts of one or more alkylene oxides selected from the class consisting of C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 alkylene oxides.