Abstract: A low viscosity synthetic lubricant is prepared by polymerizing 1-butene to an oligomer containing a number average of about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and copolymerizing the oligomer with an alpha-monoolefin having 8 to 18 carbon atoms to produce a copolymer having an average of about 20 to 40 carbon atoms. Both polymerization reactions are catalyzed by a combination of boron trifluoride and a proton donor promoter. The synthetic lubricant is preferably stripped to remove lower boiling components, such as oligomers having 20 carbon atoms or less, and optionally hydrogenated for improved stability.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of bromoalkyl esters and vicinal glycol esters which comprises thermally decomposing at temperatures of from 100.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. a bis(2-bromoalkyl)tellurium dicarboxylate compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein at least one R is hydrogen or R is a methyl group and R' is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the presence of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid selected from formic, acetic, propionic or butyric acid employed as solvent and to facilitate solvolysis in the reaction to give in addition to the bromoalkyl ester, the vicinal glycol ester. An inert acetonitrile solvent may be employed alone to give predominately the bromoalkyl ester or an admixture with the acid may be employed. Oxygen is preferably employed with the carboxylic acid solvent to provide an increase in the mole ratio of vicinal glycol ester to the bromoalkyl ester produced.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of 2-bromoalkyl esters and vicinal glycol esters which comprises thermally decomposing at temperatures of from 100.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. an organic bromoalkyl tellurium compound selected from 2-bromoalkyltellurium tribromide or bis(2-bromoalkyl)tellurium dibromide, wherein the alkyl group is ethyl, propyl or butyl, in a carboxylic acid having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms which is employed as solvent as well as to supply the ester moiety to the esters produced. The esters may be converted to the respective glycol with water or an aqueous base.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a cyclic alkylene carbonate ester which comprises reacting in a liquid phase a cyclic or linear olefin having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms with carbon dioxide at a temperature of from 30.degree. to 160.degree. C., at a total pressure of from 100 to about 2,000 psig and a pH value of between about 4 and 8, in the presence of oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas and a catalytic amount of a mixture of (a) iodine or an iodide of a metal selected from Groups IA, IB, IIA, IIB, VB, VIIB and VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements, (b) a carbonate of a metal selected from Groups IB, IIA, IIB and VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements, (c) a catalytic iron compound and (d) a catalytic soluble cupric salt, and recovering resulting cyclic alkylene carbonate ester.

Abstract: Phenyl acetic acid is prepared by the reaction of molecular oxygen and the combination of acetic acid and benzene in the presence of a catalytic system featuring both tellurium and halide, the unit atomic ratio of halide to tellurium being within a range from about 3 to about 20, at a temperature within a range from about 100.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. at a pressure within a range from about 1 to about 15 atmospheres.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of alkylene carbonates having from 3 to 31 carbon atoms per molecule of the general formula ##STR1## which comprises reacting in the liquid phase the corresponding alkylene iodohydrin having from 2 to 30 carbon atoms per molecule with carbon dioxide in the presence of oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas and an effective amount of a catalytic mixture of(1) an iodide of the metals selected from groups IA, IB, IIA, IIB and VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements and(2) a carbonate of the metals selected from the groups IB, IIA, and IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements,at a temperature of from 30.degree. C. to 120.degree. C., and at a total carbon dioxide and oxygen pressure between about atmospheric and 1400 psig, at a pH value of between 3 and 10.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a cyclic alkylene carbonate ester which comprises reacting in a liquid phase a cyclic or linear olefin having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms with carbon dioxide at a temperature of from 50 to 160.degree. C., at a total pressure of from 200 to about 2,000 psig and a pH value of between about 4 and 8, in the presence of oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas and a catalytic amount of a mixture of (a) iodine or an iodide of a metal selected from Groups IA, IB, IIA, IIB, VB, VIIB and VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements and (b) a catalytic iron compound, copper compound of mixture thereof deposited on an inert supporting material, and recovering resulting cyclic alkylene carbonate ester.

Abstract: An unsaturated normal aliphatic hydrocarbon of 4 or 5 carbon atoms and an oxygen-containing gas react to form an effluent containing maleic anhydride as a result of a reaction in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a mixture of the oxides of tungsten, phosphorus, a Group A metal, and a multivalent metal having an atomic number from 21 to 47, the sum of the oxides of the Group A metal and the multivalent metal constituting from 1% to 15% of the catalyst, the atom ratio of the Group A metal to the transition metal being within a range from about 1:1 to about 8:1 and the overall atomic ratios are such that W:P:A:M corresponds to 1:0.1-0.7:0.01-0.16:0.01-0.1. In preferred embodiments the reaction is conducted in the presence of from about 3% to about 50% by volume of steam, desirably from about 5% to about 7% by volume steam, whereby catalyst stability and selectivity are enhanced.

Abstract: Process for the liquid phase oxidation of an unsaturated lower aliphatic aldehyde to the corresponding carboxylic acid wherein the oxidation is carried out by passage of an oxygen-containing gas through a liquid medium containing the unsaturated aldehyde and a fluorine-containing organic compound.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid by the ruthenium and/or osmium catalyzed conversion of peroxide (peroxy) intermediate compounds, derived from the autoxidation of acrolein or methacrolein, to the corresponding .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid, particularly the conversion of permethacrylic acid and methacrolein monopermethacrylate to methacrylic acid.

Abstract: A lower unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon of at least 4 carbon atoms and an oxygen-containing gas react to form maleic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst having the oxides of tungsten, phosphorus, thallium, and vanadium, said catalyst being a phosphotungstic catalyst modified by minor amounts of thallium oxide and vanadium oxide, the sum of the oxides of Tl and V constituting from 1% to 15% of the catalyst, the atom ratio of Tl:V being within a range from about 2:1 to about 8:1 and the overall atomic ratios are such that W:P:Tl:V corresponds to 1:0.1-0.7:0.01-0.16:0.01-0.1. Sometimes from about 3 to about 50 volume percent steam is added to the reactant stream to enhance catalyst stability and selectivity.

Abstract: Cyclic nitrile carbonate-containing compounds having the structural formula: ##STR1## wherein T is O, S, or NR"'; R and R' are organic radicals; R" is hydrogen, halogen or an organic radical and R"' is hydrogen or an organic radical are prepared by reacting a cyclic nitrile carbonate-containing chloroformate having the structural formula: ##STR2## with a nucleophilic compound having the structural formula: ##STR3## wherein T, R, R', R" and R"' are as defined above, under conditions such that the TH group will react with the chloroformate group, but no reaction will occur involving either the cyclic nitrile carbonate group or the ##STR4## group. The novel compounds of the invention are useful in the preparation of crosslinkable polymers.

Abstract: A method for the removal and recovery of selenium from a urethane solution containing selenium compounds, which may be in the form of inorganic selenium and/or organoselenium compounds, which comprises contacting the selenium-containing urethane solution at a suitable temperature with an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution and recovering the selenium from the resulting selenium compound enriched aqueous phase in a form suitable for reuse in the preparation of urethanes, the deselenized urethane remaining in the hydrocarbon and/or organic phase.

Abstract: Method for preparing polyols such as diols and triols by the homogeneous catalytic hydroxylation of an olefinic compound by contacting the olefinic compound with an organic hydroperoxide in an aqueous solution at an initial pH above 8 in the presence of a catalytic amount of a water soluble osmium compound as the catalyst.

Abstract: Method for the molybdenum-catalyzed epoxidation of less reactive olefins such as the alpha-olefins and alpha-substituted olefins with the less stable organic hydroperoxides to give good yields of the epoxide by employing a critical amount of a stabilizing agent consisting of a C.sub.3 to C.sub.9 secondary or tertiary monohydric alcohol.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of glycols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycols, and butylene glycols from an aqueous solution containing a glycol, a dissolved alkali metal borate and osmium compounds comprising coprecipitating the borate and reduced osmium compound from the aqueous solution with water soluble organic solvents, separating the precipitated borate and osmium compound from the solution and recovering the glycol from the remaining water/solvent/glycol solution. The aqueous solutions are derived from the aqueous phase oxidation of an olefin with molecular oxygen in the presence of an octavalent osmium and a borate to prepare the corresponding glycol.