Abstract: A process for preparing .alpha.-tocopherol or .alpha.-tocopheryl acetate by reacting 2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone with isophytol or phytol in the presence of a zinc halide condensation catalyst and a proton donor in a solvent with or without subsequent esterification with acetic anhydride, which comprisesA. carrying out the reaction in a nonpolar solvent which is only slightly water-miscible, if at all andB. introducing the required zinc halide into the reaction in the form of a mixture of from 1 to 4 mol of water per mol of zinc halide.The possibility of introducing the zinc halide required in the process according to the invention in the form of a mixture of zinc halide and water which can be readily handled and metered at from 50 to 200.degree. C.

Abstract: Catalysts, for olefin oligomerization, whose active material has the empirical formula IAPO.sub.4.[P.sub.2 O.sub.5.(H.sub.2 O).sub.n ].sub.a . (XY).sub.b Iwhere A is boron, antimony, bismuth, aluminum and/or 3 equivalents of titanium, X is NH.sub.4.sup..sym. and/or an alkali metal cation and/or one equivalent of an alkaline earth metal cation, Y is one equivalent of an anion, a is 0.02-0.2, b is 0-0.05 and n is 1-3, and a process for the preparation of these catalysts.

Abstract: .gamma.-Butyrolactone is manufactured by hydrogenating maleic anhydride in the presence of butyrolactone as the solvent. The hydrogenated reaction mixture, which contains butyrolactone, succinic anhydride and succinic acid, is fractionated in a thin film evaporator.