Abstract: The invention is directed to methods of making organic compounds by metathesis and hydrocyanation. The method of the invention may be used, for example, to make industrial important organic compounds such as diacids, diesters, acid-amines, acid-alcohols, acid-nitriles, ester-amines, ester-alcohols, and ester-nitriles.

Abstract: A process for the hydrocyanation of a hydrocarbon-based compound having at least one site of ethylenic unsaturation into a nitrile compound includes reaction thereof, in a liquid medium, with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a catalyst containing a metal element selected from among the transition metals and an organophosphorus ligand, wherein the organophosphorus ligand is a mixture of at least one monodentate organophosphite compound and at least one monodentate organophosphine compound; the subject process is especially useful for the synthesis of adiponitrile from butadiene.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods of making organic compounds by metathesis and hydrocyanation. The method of the invention may be used, for example, to make industrial important organic compounds such as diacids, diesters, acid-amines, acid-alcohols, acid-nitriles, ester-amines, ester-alcohols, and ester-nitriles.

Abstract: A catalyst comprising at least one complex of a metal of transition group VIII comprising at least one monodentate, bidentate or multidentate phosphinamidite ligand in which the phosphorus atom and the oxygen atom of the phosphinamidite group form part of a 5- to 8-membered heterocycle can be used for the hydroformylation and hydrocyanation of compounds containing at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond. The phosphinamidite ligand is, for example, represented by the following formulae wherein represents an optionally substituted 5- to 8-membered heterocycle wherein A represents carbon ring members; represents an optionally substituted N-bonded heterocycle wherein (Het) indicates optional ring heteroatoms in addition to the N; and B is a carbon-carbon single bond or a divalent bridging group.

Abstract: A catalyst which comprises at least one complex of a metal of subgroup VIII having at least one bidentate phosphonite ligand of the formula I or salts and mixtures thereof, a process for the preparation of mixtures of monoolefinic C5-mononitriles, a process for the catalytic isomerization of branched aliphatic monoalkenenitriles and a process for the preparation of adiponitrile.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst which comprises at least one complex of a metal of group VIII, which comprises at least one uni-, bi- or multidentate phosphinite ligand in which the phosphorus atom and the oxygen atom of the phosphinite group are part of a 5- to 8-membered heterocycle, and to processes for hydroformylation and hydrocyanation of compounds which contain at least one ethylenic double bond in the presence of a catalyst of this type.

Abstract: Paramethyl-substituted hindered phenols are selectively oxidized by contacting with an oxidizing agent at elevated temperatures in the presence of a heterogeneous oxidative coupling catalyst. In the absence of an optional nucleophile the products comprise carbon-carbon oxidative coupling products. In the presence of a nucleophile, addition products result that may be further oxidized by continued exposure to the oxidizing agent to yield substituted p-hydroxybenzaldehydes.

Abstract: Process of polyene hydrocyanation, in particular diene hydrocyanation, wherein a promotionally effective amount of any acid with a pK.sub.a above about 2 and below and 14, preferably aryl alcohols such as phenol and cresols, is used.