Abstract: A process for converting a gaseous reactant comprising methane or natural gas to higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products is disclosed which comprises: (1) contacting said gaseous reactant with an oxidative coupling catalyst at a reaction temperature in the range of about 500.degree. C. to about 1100.degree. C. for an effective period of time to form an intermediate product comprising ethane, ethylene or a mixture thereof; and (2) pyrolyzing said intermediate product at a temperature in the range of about 900.degree. C. to about 1500.degree. C. for an effective period of time to form said higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products.

Abstract: Rubber-modified thermoplastic resins are characterized by having a high content of olefinically unsaturated nitriles and good transparency. These thermoplastic resins generally comprise from about 43 to about 75 parts by weight of a monovinyl aromatic monomer, from about 20 to about 40 parts by weight of an olefinically unsaturated nitrile monomer and from about five to about 35 parts by weight of an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid anhydride monomer, providing 100 parts of a thermoplastic terpolymer, and from about two to about 30 parts by weight of rubber polymer per 100 parts of the thermoplastic terpolymer. Other resins characterized by having between about 30 to 45 parts by weight of unsaturated dicarboxylic acid anhydride exhibit good heat distortion temperatures.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of rubber-modified thermoplastic compositions having high temperature stability includes the steps of dissolving a rubber polymer in a solvent selected from the group consisting of monovinyl aromatic monomers, olefinically unsaturated nitriles and mixtures thereof to form a feed solution, introducing the feed solution into a reactor capable of intimately mixing multiple immiscible phases, introducing into the reactor a separate liquid monomer feed stream containing monomers selected from the group consisting of unsaturated dicarboxylic acid anhydrides, olefinically unsaturated nitriles and mixtures thereof, heating the feed solution and feed stream under pressure to a temperature sufficient for polymerization to begin and intimately mixing and polymerizing the monomers around the rubber polymer in the reactor to form a thermoplastic resin composition.

Abstract: A process for the impact modification of a plastic with a rubber polymer to form a thermoplastic resin in a reactor extruder is provided. The process includes the steps of dissolving a rubber polymer in a solvent selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated monomers and non-polymerizable organic compounds to form a feed solution, introducing the feed solution into the feed section of a twin screw reactor extruder, introducing a separate feed stream containing a material in sufficient amount to precipitate the rubber polymer, heating the feed solution and feed stream under pressure to a temperature sufficient for polymerization to begin, polymerizing the monomers with the rubber polymer in the reactor extruder to form a thermoplastic resin and extruding the thermoplastic resin through a die. A novel ABS thermoplastic resin is also provided having a uniform distribution of rubber particles dispersed within the plastic phase of the resin, the rubber particles ranging in size of from about 0.