Abstract: Discloses (1) reacting a 3-(hydrocarbylthio) propionaldehyde with a compound ##STR1## (2) reacting latter compound with CO and R"YH where y is O or S to make (3) hydrolyzing this compound; (4) certain new 1-acyloxy-3-methylthiopropenes and (5) the methyl ester of 2-acetoxy-4-(methylthio)thiobutanoic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is the hydrocarboxylation of defined enamides with CO and a compound ROH to make amido acids or amido esters, either of which can be hydrolyzed to .alpha.-amino acids.

Abstract: In the process of hydrocarboxylating an enol acylate with CO and an organic hydroxyl compound to produce an .alpha.-acyloxy acid ester, the improvement comprising using as the organic hydroxyl compound reactant, an organic hydroxyl compound which has a chiral center that is essentially all L or D, thereby producing a reaction mixture having essentially no enantiomeric pairs and containing diastereomeric .alpha.-acyloxy acid esters having two chiral centers.

Abstract: Disclosed are new compounds ##STR1## where each of R and R' have zero to 10 C atoms; R is H or hydrocarbyl; R' is H, hydrocarbyl, or hydrocarbyl substituted with hydrocarbylcarbonylamino, di(hydrocarbylcarbonyl)amino, hydrocarbylcarbonyl(hydrocarbyl)amino, formylamino, diformylamino and formyl(hydrocarbyl)amino, hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbylthio, formylthio, hydrocarbylcarbonylthio, hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl, hydrocarbyl carboxyl, hydrocarbylamino, dihydrocarbylamino, formyl, 3-indolyl, 3-(1-hydrocarbyl)indolyl, 3-(1-hydrocarbylcarbonyl)indolyl, 3-(1-formyl)indolyl, carbamoyl, hydrocarbylcarbamoyl, dihydrocarbylcarbamoyl, 5-imidazolyl, 5-(3-hydrocarbyl)imidazolyl, 5-(3-hydrocarbylcarbonyl)imidazolyl, or 5-(3-formyl)imidazolyl, and R" is phenyl or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl group; and methods of making such compounds.

Abstract: In the process of hydrocarboxylating an .alpha.-enamide with CO and an organic hydroxyl compound to produce a N-acyl-.alpha.-amino acid ester, the improvement comprising using as the organic hydroxyl compound reactant, an organic hydroxyl compound which has a chiral center that is essentially all L or D, thereby producing a reaction mixture having essentially no enantiomeric pairs and containing diastereomeric N-acyl-.alpha.-amino acid esters having two chiral centers.

Abstract: Disclosed is the hydrocarboxylation of defined enamides with CO and a compound ROH to make amino acids or amido esters, either of which can be hydrolyzed to .alpha.-amino acids.

Abstract: A compound of the formula ##STR1## useful as an ultraviolet light absorber where each of R and R' has zero to 10 C atoms and no ethylenic or acetylenic unsaturation; R is H or hydrocarbyl; R' is H, hydrocarbyl, or hydrocarbyl substituted with hydrocarbylcarbonylamino, dithydrocarbylcarbonyl)amino, hydrocarbylcarbonyl(hydrocarbyl)amino, formylamino, diformylamino and formyl(hydrocarbyl)amino, hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbylthio, formylthio, hydrocarbylcarbonylthio, hydrocarbyloxycarbonyl, hydrocarbyl carboxyl, hydrocarbylamino, dihydrocarbylamino, formyl, 3-indolyl, 3-(1-hydrocarbyl)indolyl, 3-(1-hydrocarbylcarbonyl)indolyl, 3-(1-formyl)indolyl, carbamoyl, hydrocarbylcarbamoyl, dihydrocarbylcarbamoyl, 5-imidazolyl, 5-(3-hydrocarbyl)imidazolyl, 5-(3-hydrocarbylcarbonyl)imidazolyl, or 5-(3-formyl)imidazolyl.

Abstract: Disclosed is combination of an acylase and esterase for selective enzymatic hydrolysis of only the L-isomer of an L and D mixture of .alpha.N-acyl-.alpha.-amino acid ester whose alpha carbon atom is chiral to yield a mixture containing L-.alpha.-amino acid and D-.alpha.-N-acyl-.alpha.-amino acid ester but essentially no D-.alpha.-amino acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is the vapor phase cyclodehydration of an aldehyde or ketone over a solid Lewis acid as catalyst to make indene or a substituted indene according to the equation: ##STR1##

Abstract: Disclosed is the liquid phase reaction of the acrylonitrile with ammonia in the presence of a large amount of a polar solvent having a high dielectric constant.