Abstract: A process for preparing clear green chromium(III) propionate solutions which comprises admixing such as propionic acid with water, a chromium(VI) source such as dichromate, adding thereto a nitrite, such as sodium nitrite, to reduce the chromium(VI) to chromium(III), in the presence of excess acid, preferably propionic acid, optionally combined with additional acid such as muriatic acid, to produce a stable solution useful with polymers, such as partially hydrolyzed acrylamide-based polymers, in permeability contrast correction procedures for high permeability streaks in oil field treatments.

Abstract: A fluoroacid is continuously hydrogenated to a corresponding alcohol by contact with a catalyst comprising at least one of rhenium and a hydrogen reducible rhenium compound supported on a fluorided alumina catalyst support. In one embodiment perfluorobutyric acid is catalytically reduced to 2,2,3,3,4,4,4-heptafluoro n-butanol employing a fluorided activated alumina impregnated with perrhenic acid.

Abstract: Benzene is converted by reductive alkylation to cyclohexylbenzene; cyclohexylbenzene by oxidation and cleavage is converted into a mixture of cyclohexylbenzene, phenol and cyclohexanone; after removal of cyclohexylbenzene from this mixture, the remaining mixture consisting essentially of phenol and cyclohexanone is effectively separated into its components by extractive distillation with a sulfolane.