Abstract: Ruthenium cobalt- or cobalt-containing catalysts which have been promoted with phosphonites or phosphinites effectively catalyze the dealkoxyhydroxymethylation of aldehyde acetals to form glycol monoethers. Methylal, for example, may be reacted with syngas, i.e., CO and H.sub.2, in the presence of these phosphonite- or phosphinite-promoted cobalt or ruthenium- cobalt catalysts to form the monomethyl ether of ethylene glycol. In a like manner acetaldehyde may be converted to the corresponding propylene glycol monoether. The process may advantageously be carried out with high yields and selectivities in the presence of a polar or non-polar organic solvent in combination with the catalyst system of this invention.The invention is also directed to the phosphonite- or phosphinite-promoted cobalt and ruthenium-cobalt catalyst systems per se.

Abstract: Ruthenium-cobalt- or cobalt-containing catalysts which have been promoted with phosphonites or phosphinites effectively catalyze the dealkoxyhydroxymethylation of aldehyde acetals to form glycol monoethers. Methylal, for example, may be reacted with syngas, i.e., CO and H.sub.2, in the presence of these phosphonite- or phosphinite-promoted cobalt or ruthenium- cobalt catalysts to form the monomethyl ether of ethylene glycol. In a like manner acetaldehyde may be converted to the corresponding propylene glycol monoether. The process may advantageously be carried out with high yields and selectivities in the presence of a polar or non-polar organic solvent in combination with the catalyst system of this invention.The invention is also directed to the phosphonite- or phosphonite-promoted cobalt and ruthenium-cobalt catalyst system per se.

Abstract: The reaction rate for the hydrolysis of carbonyl sulfide in liquid petroleum hydrocarbons over alumina, such as propylene, is greatly increased by maintaining water in the hydrocarbons in an amount of one mole of water per mole of carbonyl sulfide to an upper limit of about ten moles of water per mole of carbonyl sulfide or about 30% of saturation of the hydrocarbons, whichever upper limit provides the lesser amount of water.

Abstract: An electronic micrometer having an encoding system located inside the micrometer housing for electronically determining and indicating the measurement made by the micrometer. The encoding system produces pulses in response to rotation of the micrometer thimble by having alternating reflecting and nonreflecting surfaces on the inside of the thimble which reflect pulses of light from a light source to a light sensitive cell. A digital counting circuit is provided for counting the pulses produced by the light sensitive cell and a digital readout for displaying the sum result. A system for sensing the direction of thimble rotation, and conditioning the digital counter to add or subtract pulses, has a light source and light sensitive cell opposite a reflecting surface which is either covered by a nonreflecting surface or uncovered depending upon the direction of rotation of the thimble.