Abstract: Substituted phenols of formula ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 is in an ortho or para position relative to the phenol function and denotes ##STR2## R.sub.2 denotes an acyclic radical optionally substituted by alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxycarbonyl, cyano or formyl, or a phenyl or naphthyl radical, and R denotes hydrogen or 1 to 4 substituents chosen from halogen, OH optionally in the form of ether or ester, alkyl, NO.sub.2, CHO optionally in the form of acetal, CH.sub.3 CO--, C.sub.6 H.sub.5 CO--, NH.sub.2, alkylamino, dialkylamino or alkoxycarbonyl, it being understood that 2 symbols R may form with the phenyl nucleus a condensed aromatic ring, which comprises reacting a butadiene of formula ##STR3## with a phenol for formula ##STR4## in water in the presence of a rhodium-based catalyst, a water-soluble phosphine and optionally an inorganic or organic base. The products of formula (I) are intermediates for the synthesis of vitamin E, antioxidants, perfumes or insecticides.

Abstract: The new tetraene of formula: ##STR1## is useful particularly as an intermediate in the synthesis of, for example, hexahydropseudoionone, pseudoionone and vitamin A.It may be made by dehydrochlorinating 3-chloro-2-methyl-6-methylene-1,3,7-octadiene in the presence of a palladium catalyst and an inorganic base.

Abstract: New unsaturated fatty alcohols of the formula: ##STR1## in which n=2 or 4 are provided and are prepared by the novel process of reacting butadiene with water in the presence of a palladium salt and orthoboric acid, B(OH).sub.3, in a polar aprotic solvent.

Abstract: The selective addition of a compound having an activated carbon atom onto the carbon atom in the 4-position of a buta-1,3-diene carrying a hydrocarbon substituent on the carbon atom in the 2-position is achieved by reacting the compound having the activated carbon atom with the buta-1,3-diene carrying the hydrocarbon substituent in water or in an aqueous-alcoholic mixture in the presence of a catalyst which consists of at least one water-soluble phosphine and at least one rhodium compound, the catalyst being in solution in the water or aqueous alcoholic mixture. The products obtained are useful as precursors of intermediates for the synthesis of vitamins and perfumes.

Abstract: New unsaturated fatty alcohols of the formula: ##STR1## in which n=2 or 4 are provided and are prepared by the novel process of reacting butadiene with water in the presence of a palladium salt and orthoboric acid, B(OH).sub.3, in a polar aprotic solvent.

Abstract: Methylenically-substituted undecadiene compounds having the structural formula: ##STR1## wherein X is selected from the group consisting of lower acyloxy, aryloxy having from 6 to 14 carbon atoms, lower alkoxy and hydroxy, and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9, R.sub.10, R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14, R.sub.15 and R.sub.16 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl, with the proviso that at least one of R.sub.3, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 and at least one of R.sub.9, R.sub.10, R.sub.11 and R.sub.12 must be hydrogen, are prepared by reacting a diene having the structural formula: ##STR2## with a conjugated diene having the structural formula: ##STR3## in the presence of a rhodium/trivalent phosphorus catalyst, with the atomic ratio of the trivalent phosphorus to the rhodium therein being at least 1.5. The compounds can be hydrogenated and saponified to form known alcohols which are precursors for biodegradable detergents.

Abstract: New esters are provided by reaction of an ester of the formula: ##STR1## in the presence of a compound of rhodium and an alcohol with a 1,3-butadiene of the formula: ##STR2## in which R.sub.1 represents an alkyl radical having from about 1 to 6 carbons atoms,R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.5, R.sub.8 and R.sub.9, which are identical or different, are a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having from about 1 to 3 carbon atoms.R.sub.4, R.sub.6, and R.sub.7 represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having from about 1 to 3 carbon atoms, at least one of them being a hydrogen atom,R.sub.10, R.sub.11, R.sub.12, and R.sub.13 represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having from about 1 to 3 carbon atoms, at least one of them being a hydrogen atom,R.sub.14, R.sub.15, R.sub.16, and R.sub.17, which are identical or different, each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical.

Abstract: Metal-containing polymers, particularly useful as catalysts for chemical reactions involving unsaturated hydrocarbon molecules, conform with the general formula: ##STR1## IN WHICH X is hydrogen, halogen or a monovalent hydrocarbon radical, n is 0 or an integer from 1 to 6, Me is a transition metal, each ligand R is selected from hydrogen, halogen, a hydrocarbon radical or a radical comprising a carboxy, carbonyl, amino, ether or phosphorus group, p is an integer from 1 to (m-1), m being the highest valency of said metal Me, Y is hydrogen, an alkali metal or a monovalent hydrocarbon radical, P is a unit derived from at least one polymerizable mono- or poly-functional vinyl monomer, and a, b and c are numbers such that, for a sum (a+b+c) of 100, (a+b) is from 1 to 100, a/(a+b) is from 0.1 to 1, and c is from 0 to 99.

Abstract: Metal-containing polymers, particularly useful as catalysts for chemical reactions involving unsaturated hydrocarbon molecules, conform with the general formula: ##STR1## IN WHICH X is hydrogen, halogen or a monovalent hydrocarbon radical, n is O or an integer from 1 to 6, Me is a transition metal, each ligand R is selected from hydrogen, halogen, a hydrocarbon radical or a radical comprising a carboxy, carbonyl, amino, ether or phosphorus group, p is an integer from 1 to (m-1), m being the highest valency of said metal Me, Y is hydrogen, an alkali metal or a monovalent hydrocarbon radical, P is a unit derived from at least one polymerizable mono-or polyfunctional vinyl monomer, and a, b and c are numbers such that, for a sum (a + b + c) of 100, (a + b) is from 1 to 100, a/(a + b) is from 0.1 to 1, and c is from 0 to 99.