Abstract: A process for producing octadienes comprises, on synthesis of octadienes by reacting butadiene with formic acid in the presence of a palladium catalyst, controlling the reaction pressure at not more than the vapor pressure of butadiene at the reaction temperature employed, thereby suppressing formation of byproducts which would accumulate in a catalyst-containing layer and minimizing the decrease of reaction rate and selectivity which would occur by such accumulation.

Abstract: A polyurethane made of polyester diol units, organic diisocyanate units and units from a chain extender, wherein the polyester diol units contain dicarboxylic acid units and diol units, wherein at least 30 mole % of the dicarboxylic acid units are units derived from 3,8-dimethyldecanedioic acid, 3,7-dimethyldecanedioic acid or a mixture thereof, and wherein the polyester diol units have a number-average molecular weight in a range from 500 to 6000 is provided along with the polyester diol for preparing the polyurethane, polyurethane fibers prepared from the polyurethane, a molded article prepared from the polyurethane and processes for producing the polyurethane, polyester diol, dimethyldecanedioic acids and dimethyldecanedials used to prepare the dimethyldecanedioic acids; where the polyurethane and fibers produced therefrom are superior in various properties such as hydrolytic resistance, heat resistance, resistance to hot water, cold resistance, fungal resistance and mechanical performances e.g.

Abstract: An improved process for producing octa-2,7-dien-1-ol which comprises reacting butadiene with water in an aqueous sulfolane solution containing a carbonate and/or bicarbonate of a monodentate tertiary amine in the presence of a palladium compound and a phosphonium salt.

Abstract: Novel phosphonium salts of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each is a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; X is a hydroxyl group, a hydroxycarbonyloxy group or a lower alkylcarbonyloxy group, and processes for production of the salts are described. Telomerization catalysts containing said phosphonium salts and processes for production of straight-chained alkadienyl compounds using the same catalysts are also provided.

Abstract: In the preparation of a polyurethane from a polymeric polyol and an organic polyisocyanate, by using as the polyol a polymeric polyol containing in the molecule thereof 2-methyl-1,8-octanediol residue, a novel polyurethane having excellent resistance to hydrolysis, low temperature characteristics and abrasion resistance can be obtained.

Abstract: Butadiene and water are reacted continuously in the presence of a solvent capable of dissolving both reactants and a palladium catalyst with the mole ratio of butadiene to the reaction product octa-2,7-dien-1-ol in the reaction mixture being maintained at 0.6 or more. By this process, octa-2,7-dien-1-ol can be produced continuously without reductions in reaction rate and selectivity and with decreased insoluble polymer formation.

Abstract: Polyester polyols containing the following recurring unit derived from .beta.-methyl-.delta.-valerolactone(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2 CO)used to be low in stability. It has been discovered that the stability of the polyester polyols of this type can be improved by reducing the acid value to down 0.25 or lower, and that this can be effected by heat treatment under reduced pressure to remove low-boiling compounds and/or by addition of an organic carbodiimide.

Abstract: Novel phosphonium salts of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each is a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; X is a hydroxyl group, a hydroxycarbonyloxy group or a lower alkylcarbonyloxy group, and processes for production of the salts are described. Telomerization catalysts containing said phosphonium salts and processes for production of straight-chain alkadienyl compounds using the same catalysts are also provided.

Abstract: There is provided an industrial process for the advantageous preparation of high-purity lithium diphenylphosphinobenzene-m-monosulfonate.

Abstract: Novel trimethylolheptanes having three highly reactive hydroxyl groups are provided. They are useful as raw materials for the production of polyesters for use in or as raw materials or modifiers for paints, inks, adhesives, coating compositions and molding resins. Uses for the trimethylolheptanes are also provided.

Abstract: Novel phosphonium salts of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; R.sup.3 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each is a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may optionally be substituted; X is a hydroxyl group, a hydroxycarbonyloxy group or a lower alkylcarbonyloxy group, and processes for production of the salts are described. Telomerization catalysts containing said phosphonium salts and processes for production of straight-chain alkadienyl compounds using the same catalysts are also provided.

Abstract: A hydroformylation process is provided which comprises reacting a compound of the general formulaCH.sub.2 .dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 --A--CH.sub.2 --Xwherein X is a hydroxyl or formyl group and A is a group of the formula--(CH.sub.2).sub.n -- or --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --CH.dbd.CH--in which n is an integer of 3-8 and m is an integer of 0-5, with a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a rhodium compound and a specific tris(substituted phenyl) phosphite.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of hydroformylating 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol and analogs thereof with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium compound free from modification by a ligand containing an element belonging to the group V of the periodic table as well as a method of producing 3-methylpentane-1,5-diol and .beta.-methyl-.delta.-valerolactone using such hydroformylation product.

Abstract: The method for producing .alpha.,.omega.-dialdehydes from .alpha.,.omega.-diolefins or .alpha.,.omega.-alkenals in good yield and with high efficiency. The expensive rhodium catalyst for hydroformylation can be reused without any substantial attrition of activity. Moreover, since the loses of the catalyst, monodentate phosphine and sulfolane used in the hydroformylation reaction are minimal, the method is commercially advantageous.

Abstract: The hydroformylation of 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol with hydrogen and carbon monoxide, when carried out under relatively mild conditions, gives 2-hydroxy-4-methyltetrahydropyran (MHP) in high rate of reaction and in high selectivity even in a very low rhodium catalyst concentration. MHP is useful as a starting material for the production of 3-methyl-1,5-pentanediol and .beta.-methyl-.delta.-valerolactone which are in turn usable as raw materials for producing polyesters and polyurethanes. The process according to the invention can give such MHP advantageously from the industrial viewpoint and has very great industrial utility.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing L-phenylalanine in high optical purity which comprises treating an N-acylphenylalanine alkyl ester in L form, in the presence of water, with an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the N-acylphenylalanine alkyl ester in L form to give L-phenylalanine.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of hydroformylating 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol and analogs thereof with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium compound free from modification by a ligand containing an element belonging to the group V of the periodic table as well as a method of producing 3-methylpentane-1,5-diol and .beta.-methyl-.delta.-valerolactone using such hydroformylation product.

Abstract: A process for producing a novel polyester polyurethane having excellent hydrolysis resistance and excellent flexibility at low temperature, which is obtained from a polyisocyanate and a polyester polyol which is obtained by reaction a dicarboxylic acid with a mixture of 1,9-nonanediol and a polyol represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 denotes methyl group or ethyl group, R.sup.2 denotes hydrogen atom, methyl group, ethyl group, hydroxymethyl group or hydroxyethyl group, and n is an integer of 1 to 5, said polyester polyol having an average molecular weight of 500 to 30,000.

Abstract: A novel process for production of polyurethane having excellent hydrolysis resistance, heat resistance, low-temperature characteristics and no tendency of crystallization and capability of making high solid content solution, which is obtained from a polymerized polyol having two or more hydroxy groups in the molecule and a polyisocyanate, and optionally a chain extender, characterized in that the polymerized polyol component is a polymerized polyol having ##STR1## groups in the molecule.

Abstract: A process for producing 1,9-nonanedial which comprises hydroformylating 7-octen-1-al with a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in an aqueous sulfolane or 1,4-butanediol solution in the presence of a rhodium complex and the sodium, potassium or lithium salt of m-(diphenylphosphino)benzenesulfonic acid, extracting 1,9-nonanedial from the reaction mixture with a primary alcohol or a mixture of a primary alcohol and a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon, and recycling the extraction residue containing the catalyst components to the 7-octen-1-al hydroformylation step.