Abstract: A micronutrient composition intended for application to the foliage or branches of plants is described as containing oil-soluble overbased copper, molybdenum, zinc, manganese or iron naphthenates in a horticultural non-phytotoxic spray oil. The composition is made metathetically by mixing a solution of naphthenic acids, having an acid value ranging from about 90 to 280 mg.KOH/g., in a light aromatic solvent, with a methanolic sodium hydroxide solution and a methanolic solution of the desired metal salt of an inorganic acid; distilling off the methanol, the water and some of the aromatic solvent, adding the spray oil and removing the rest of the aromatic solvent. The ratio of equivalents of metal to naphthenate in these salts ranges from 1.1 to 20.The naphthenates are in the form of micelles with each micelle having an empirical formula represented by MR.sub.2.xM(OH).sub.2.yMO, wherein R is the naphthenate radical, M is the divalent micronutrient metal and (x + y) is the overbasicity ranging from 0.1 to 19.

Abstract: Disclosed is a controlled two stage process for converting 1-olefins to 1,2-diacetoxyalkanes. In the first stage, the olefins are oxidized to peroxides by preaerating the olefin with oxygen until the measured peroxide value has reached its maximum, then decreasing this value by 20 to 40%. In the second stage, the peroxides are decomposed by adding acetic acid and heating to a temperature of 120.degree. C. in the absence of catalyst.