Abstract: 1-(4-Chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indole-3-acetic acid carboxymethyl ester as known per se is obtainable by a novel and more simple method comprising mild acid hydrolysis of 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indole-3-acetoxyacetic tetrahydropyran-2-yl ester. The final product is a valuable drug having antiinflammatory activity.

Abstract: In the preparation of 4-hydroxy-2-methyl-N-2-pyridyl-2H-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide 1,1-dioxide by reacting the corresponding 3-methoxycarbonyl compound with 2-aminopyridine, a dramatic increase in the yield is obtained if the reaction is carried out in the presence of 0.1 to 1.5 mole equivalent (based on the 3-methoxycarbonyl compound) of an alkyl- or arylsulfonic acid.

Abstract: Ortho-nitrobenzaldehyde, a well known compound suitable as an indicator and as an intermediate for many organic syntheses including production of pharmaceuticals, is obtained by contacting a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 lower alkyl ester of o-nitrophenyl pyruvic acid in the form of its enolate, i.e. the enol salt or enol ester, with hydrogen peroxide; the enol salt can be the enolate of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal or of aluminum, and the enol ester can be the ester formed by the enolic hydroxyl and formic, acetic, propionic or butyric acid.

Abstract: Trans-4-alkyl-cyanoarylcyclohexanes are prepared in a stereoselective manner from arylcarboxylic acids of the formula Ar-[Ar].sub.n -Ar-4-COOH, Ar being aryl and n being 0 to 2, by first converting such a carboxylic acid to a mixture of the cis and trans isomers of the corresponding cyclohexa-2,5-diene-4-carboxylic acid, esterifying the resulting isomer mixture with a lower alkanol and further hydrogenating the resulting esters/isomers to produce the cis and trans isomers of the corresponding cyclohexane-4-carboxylic acid esters, isomerizing the cis isomers in the mixture to the trans isomer thereby producing a mixture containing the trans isomer substantially free from cis isomer, stereospecifically saponifying the trans isomer, growing a carbon chain of desired length on the carboxyl group of the resulting carboxylic acid, reducing the carbonyl group thereof, and introducing a cyano group into the terminal aryl group. The resulting product is useful as a nematic liquid crystal.