Abstract: Process for the manufacture of .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid amides by adding water onto cyanohydrins in an aqueous medium containing 10-60% by weight of the oxo compound on which the cyanohydrin is based, with the aid of a catalyst dissolved in the reaction medium and selected from the group consisting of alkali metal-, alkaline earth metal- and alkylammonium salts of boric acid, at a pH from 7-11.

Abstract: An .omega.-perfluoroalkane sulfonamido-alkane phosphonic or phosphinic acid or salt of the formula ##EQU1## in which R.sub.F is a perfluoroalkyl radical with from 1 to 12 carbon atoms;x and n each independently is 0 or 1,Y is hydrogen or a lower aliphatic radical with up to 5 carbon atoms,Z is an aliphatic radical with up to 5 carbon atoms, a cycloaliphatic, araliphatic or aromatic radical, andR is hydrogen, an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium radical.The compounds are useful as surfactants in depressing the surface tension of water.

Abstract: In the electrochemical fluorination of an alkanesulfonyl halide wherein an electric current is passed through a cell containing said alkanesulfonyl halide dissolved in hydrofluoric acid to produce a perfluorinated alkanesulfonyl fluoride, the improvement which comprises including in said cell an unsaturated cyclic sulfone.