Abstract: Process for selective hydrogenation of aliphatic unsaturated aldehyde to unsaturated alcohol with gaseous hydrogen using supported rhodium-complex catalyst.This invention relates to a process for preparing unsaturated aliphatic alcohols wherein unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes are selectively hydrogenated using supported rhodium-complex catalyst.Unsaturated alcohols have use in the production of plastics and perfumes. Crotonyl alcohol, for example, has utility for the production of copolymers with vinyl acetate or styrene, and also as an intermediate for synthesis of other organic compounds. Allyl alcohol is a precursor for butanediol which is used to produce tetrahydrofuran, polyesters such as polybutylene terephthalate, and polybutylene oxide based polyurethanes.Particular difficulty in selectively hydrogenating alpha, beta unsaturated aldehydes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,777 (Rylander et al., 1972, assigned to Engelhard Minerals and Chemicals) wherein patentees teach many catalysts, e.g.

Abstract: Chromium (III) catalysis of the reaction between ethylene oxides (ethylene oxide and 1,2-propylene oxide) and aromatic carboxylic acids at temperatures in the range from 50.degree. to 180.degree. C. are rapid but produce excessive amounts of diglycol ether ester (2-hydroxyethoxyethanol or 2-hydroxy-2-methylethoxy 2-methylethanol) which is present as the diglycol ether ester of the aromatic carboxylic acid and is a contaminent hard to remove from the desired 2-hydroxyethyl ester of the aromatic carboxylic acid. The use of an amine, in such ethylene oxide reaction with aromatic carboxylic acid suppresses the formation of diglycol ether and increases the conversion of aromatic carboxylic acid to the desired 2-hydroxyethyl ester thereof.

Abstract: Bromine-substituted oxygen-containing impurities in phthalic anhydride which cannot be removed therefrom by distillation or a combination of heat treatment in the presence of a metal or a combination of catalytic hydrogenation and fractional distillation are removed by treating a mixture of vapors of such impure phthalic anhydride and water with a palladium catalyst prior to taking phthalic anhydride as a product fraction of fractional distillation.