Abstract: A process for preparing an allylic or an aromatic aldehyde, such as acrolein or benzaldehyde, the process comprising contacting in a basic, liquid, biphasic mixture and at reactive conditions an allylic halide or a halomethylated aromatic, such as allyl or benzyl chloride, with a divalent chromate ion, is improved by contacting the allylic halide or halomethylated aromatic with the divalent chromate ion in the presence of a catalytic amount of a quaternary ammonium and/or phosphonium salt, such as tetra-n-butylammonium chloride. The improved process is faster, cleaner and more complete than the process of the prior art.

Abstract: Quaternary ammonium salts, such as methyl tributyl ammonium chloride, are novel catalysts in a nitrile-forming reaction which comprises stirring together aqueous sodium cyanide and the undistilled m-trifluoromethyl benzyl chloride product of the reaction of chloromethyl methyl ether, chlorosulfonic acid and trifluoromethyl benzene from which chloromethyl ether impurities, methanol, water and some of the unreacted trifluoromethyl benzene are removed. The process is conducted under alkaline conditions in a two-phase liquid reaction medium. m-Trifluoromethyl benzyl nitrile is prepared in excellent yields and purity.