Abstract: A method for recovering titanium and vanadium compounds, such as alkoxides, from a liquid hydrocarbon mixture by hydrolyzing the mixture with a base or acid wash having a sufficiently different density so that two liquid phases form, and separating the two liquid phases.

Abstract: Protected functional initiator initiated elastomer solutions are deprotected and optionally ionic impurities removed by contact with a molten component such as sodium bisulphate monohydrate. This allows deprotection and removal of metal contaminants such as the initiator or residue from hydrogenation catalysts without the introduction of significant amounts of additional water which cause emulsion formation. In accordance with this invention, better metal removal is achieved and the process of metal removal operates more smoothly because of the absence of emulsion formation. Separation of the molten component containing the extracted metal contaminants can easily be carried out by simple liquid-liquid phase separation on either a continuous or batch basis.