Abstract: Alkylene carbonates, particularly ethylene carbonate, are prepared by the reaction of an alkylene oxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst at temperatures ranging upwards from 20.degree. C., particularly temperatures above about 90.degree. C., preferably 90.degree.-170.degree. C. The conversion of alkylene oxide to alkylene carbonate can be carried out in the presence of water while minimizing the undesirable hydrolysis of the carbonate to the corresponding alkylene glycol and formation of higher glycols. This is achieved by maintaining the water to alkylene oxide molar ratio and the carbon dioxide to alkylene oxide ratio within the stated limits and adjusting the carbon dioxide partial pressure to provide the desired selectivity to alkylene carbonate.

Abstract: Acetic acid is produced by reacting methanol with carbon monoxide in the presence of hydrogen, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a molybdenum-nickel or a tungsten-nickel cocatalyst component, in the presence of an iodide, and in the presence of a promoter comprising an organo-phosphorus compound or an organo-nitrogen compound, the ratio of the partial pressure of hydrogen to the partial pressure of carbon monoxide in the reaction zone being 0.05 to 0.4.

Abstract: Ethylene glycol is purified, particularly for fiber-grade applications, by removal of the residual ethylene carbonate from which the glycol was derived. The effluent from a reactor in which ethylene carbonate is hydrolyzed to ethylene glycol is distilled to produce a lower-boiling fraction comprising substantially ethylene glycol and water and a higher-boiling fraction comprising substantially ethylene glycol, higher glycols, and concentrated in hydrolysis catalyst. The higher-boiling fraction is recirculated to reflux against the lower-boiling product, thereby essentially completing the hydrolysis of unreacted ethylene carbonate thereby reducing the ethylene carbonate content of the ethylene glycol to very low levels suitable for fiber-grade applications.

Abstract: A process for the production of predetermined variable amounts of diphenylamine and aniline from a feedstock consisting essentially of phenol and ammonia is disclosed. The process involves catalytically reacting phenol and ammonia to produce aniline in situ and then reacting part of the aniline with other phenol and aniline to produce DPA, with the remaining aniline being removed from the reaction media as product.

Abstract: Ethylene glycol or 1,2-propylene glycol contained in mixtures with lower carboxylate esters of glycol, e.g. as produced by hydrolysis of the esters, is recovered by distillation of the mixtures with a hydrocarbon forming a minimum boiling azeotrope with the ethylene dlycol or 1,2-propylene glycol, the hydrocarbon being maintained in an inert atmosphere in the system.