Abstract: The cetane numbers of directly distilled diesel fuels are significantly improved by intimately contacting same with an effective amount of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a carboxylic acid, or with an effective amount of a percarboxylic acid either in the presence or absence of hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing .SIGMA.- caprolactone by oxidation of cyclohexanone by means of a crude C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 percarboxylic acid solution, resulting from the reaction of hydrogen peroxide on the corresponding carboxylic acid in the presence of a weak acid catalyst, with continuous elimination of water by azeotropic entrainment, characterized in that the molar ratio of cyclohexanone used to the percarboxylic acid is between about 0.50 to 0.99.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of stable solutions of .epsilon.-caprolactone by means of the oxidation of cyclohexanone by a percarboxylic acid containing 2 to 4 carbon atoms. According to the invention, the percarboxylic acid is in the form of a crude solution, such as that resulting from the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with the corresponding carboxylic acid in the presence of a boric acid catalyst with the continuous elimination of water by azeotropic entrainment.

Abstract: Process of preparing substantially anhydrous solutions of percarboxylic acids which comprises reacting hydrogen peroxide contained in an aqueous solution with a water miscible carboxylic acid in the presence of a catalyst and an azeotropic organic solvent, continuously removing the water added with the hydrogen peroxide and formed during the reaction by azeotropic distillation by way of a distillation column, and continuously injecting water into the top of the distillation column during at least the major portion of the reaction time, the quantity of the injected water being less than the quantity of the water removed by azeotrope distillation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process for the catalytic epoxidation of olefins which comprises reacting an olefin of the formula ##STR1## in which R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which can be the same or different, represent either a hydrogen atom, a straight alkyl radical having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl radical or cycloalkyl radical having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, a hydrocarbon radical having 6 to 12 carbon atoms and containing a phenyl group; or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, or R.sub.3 or R.sub.4 together represent a straight or branched alkylene radical with 3 to 11 carbon atoms, (the radicals R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 can be unsaturated and/or substituted with functional groups which are stable in the reaction medium, such as hydroxy, chloro, fluoro, bromo, iodo, nitro (--NO.sub.2), nitroso (--NO), alkoxy, (--OR') amino (--NH.sub.2), carbonyl (=CO), alkylcarbonyl ##STR2## carboxylic acid (--COOH), carboxylic acid ester (--COOR'), amide or carbamyl (--CONH.sub.