Abstract: In the manufacture of isobutyric acid or its precursors or esters by the Koch synthesis from propylene, carbon monoxide, and, optionally, water or an alcohol in liquid hydrogen fluoride, the reaction mixture is maintained at a constant reaction temperature in a heat exchanger using an addition product of at least two of the aforementioned materials, preferably isopropanol, as a coolant.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for preparing a corresponding cinnamate ester by reacting a styrene compound, carbon monoxide, an alcohol and oxygen by the use of (1) metallic palladium or a compound thereof, (2) a copper compound, (3) a compound of at least one metal selected from Groups 4A, 5A, 7A, 8A (the iron group only) and 2B in the Periodic Table and (4) a halogen compound as a catalyst which comprises treating the catalyst components recovered from the reaction liquid after completion of the reaction with an oxidizing agent in the presence of an organic acid to regenerate their catalytic activity, using the resulting catalyst components again in the reaction as a catalyst and repeating the foregoing procedure.The regenerated catalyst is recovered in catalytic activity to the extent of that of a fresh catalyst and thus gives a high reaction performance in the subsequent reaction. Thus, the catalyst containing expensive metal can be used circulatively.

Abstract: Methods of improving the yield in the continuous preparation of isobutyric acid from propene, carbon monoxide, and water under pressure in liquid hydrogen fluoride as a Koch catalyst by mixing the propene with excess carbon monoxide, preferably carbon monoxide reintroduced from the process and freed of HF, and introducing the mixture into the reactor.

Abstract: This invention involves a process for the carbonylation of a carbonylatable reactant, e.g., an alkyl ester, a dialkyl ether or mixtures thereof by reacting the same with carbon monoxide. The process comprises effecting the carbonylation in the presence of a solution of a catalyst system containing a rhodium compound, an iodide and a lithium component at a temperature of from 50.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. at a carbon monoxide partial pressure of 1 psig to 15,000 psig. Hydrogen may also be present. The invention also concerns a carbonylation catalyst system effective for the addition of carbon monoxide to a carbonylatable reactant which comprises a solution containing as essential components a rhodium containing active component, an iodide and a lithium component.

Abstract: In the continuous preparation of isobutyric acid by the Koch synthesis from propylene, carbon monoxide, and water or an alcohol in hydrogen fluoride under pressure, the reaction mixture, after reaction, is depressurized, a principal amount of the gaseous components to be removed is separated, the remaining liquid phase is introduced into the middle to upper region of a distillation column in which base temperature is kept above the boiling point of isobutyric acid and the head temperature is kept near the boiling point of hydrogen fluoride, and isobutyric acid is removed as a liquid of high purity from a plate below the entrance of the feed.

Abstract: Fatty acid and their derivatives are simply produced by reacting an olefin, carbon monoxide and water or reacting an alcohol or its derivative and carbon monoxide in the presence of a hydrogen fluoride catalyst and thermally decomposing the resulting reaction product in the presence of a lower hydrocarbon or a lower halogenated hydrocarbon.

Abstract: The amount of water required to effect efficient separation of a mixture of sulfuric acid and carboxylic acids by distillation, is reduced, by diluting the mixture while in the distillation column in a prescribed manner with sufficient water to provide a water:sulfuric acid mole ratio of about 1:1. The heat generated by the internal dilution reduces the energy requirement of the column. Feeding the dilution water to the column below the feed mixture is a key element of the process.

Abstract: What is disclosed is the use of metallic vessels having particularly high corrosion resistance which are made of(a) aluminum or alloys containing more than 95% aluminum, or of(b) nickel-chromium-iron alloys containing from 30 to 50% of nickel, from 20 to 30% of chromium, and from 18 to 50% of iron, by weight, in reacting or working up mixtures containing substantial amounts of hydrogen fluoride in addition to organic carboxylic acids and/or carbon monoxide and/or water.

Abstract: A process for the selective hydrocarboxylation of propylene to produce predominantly isobutyric acid in the liquid phase is provided. The reaction of propylene, carbon monoxide and water is effected at a temperature of about 10.degree. C. to about 80.degree. C. and at a pressure of about 75 psi to about 1500 psi in the presence of a strong acid and a metal phthalocyanine co-catalyst.

Abstract: In the preparation of a carboxylic acid by the carbonylation of an olefin in the presence of hydrofluoric acid catalyst, the hydrofluoric acid is isolated from the carboxylic acid by means of an ion-permeable membrane and the thus-isolated hydrofluoric acid can be recycled to again catalyze the carbonylation reaction.

Abstract: An exothermic reaction's heat of a low-temperature reaction is used for further processing of the product mixture, for example, to separate the product from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Esters or carboxylic acids are prepared from olefins containing at least two carbon atoms by reacting the olefin with carbon monoxide in the presence of:(i) a first complex of a selected Lewis acid with the ester or carboxylic acid, whichever is the reaction product recovered;(ii) a second complex of the Lewis acid with an alcohol, if an ester is being prepared, or with water, if a carboxylic acid is being prepared; and(iii) a metal carbonyl compound containing a Group IB transition metal in the first oxidation state; andby recovering the reaction product(s).The preferred olefin is propylene, the preferred ester to be prepared is methylisobutyrate, the preferred metal is copper and the preferred Lewis acid is boron trifluoride.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a process for the continuous production of isobutyric acid or an alkyl ester thereof by the Koch synthesis, which process comprises reacting propylene, carbon monoxide, and water or an alkanol in the presence of hydrogen fluoride in at least one reaction space containing a liquid phase and a gas phase under high pressure, releasing said pressure at least partially, whereby a gas containing organic compounds from said synthesis evolves from said liquid phase, adding oxygen to said evolved gas and at least partially combusting the organic compounds contained therein, then contacting the evolved gas containing the at least partially combusted organic compounds with at least a portion of the water or alkanol to be reacted with said propylene and carbon monoxide, whereby at least a portion of said combusted organic compounds are absorbed by said water or alkanol, returning said water or alkanol containing the absorbed combusted organic compounds to said reaction space, and discharging any unab

Abstract: What is disclosed is a continuous one-step method for the preparation of isobutyric acid or a lower alkyl ester thereof by the Koch synthesis, which method comprises reacting propylene, carbon monoxide, and water or a lower alcohol, in the gaseous and liquid phases, in the presence of hydrogen fluoride as a Koch catalyst, at a temperature between 80.degree. C. and 160.degree. C., at a dwell time of the liquid phase of less than 20 minutes, and with a high degree of backmixing, while maintaining the content of propylene in the reaction mixture at less than one percent by weight of the liquid phase, wherein all or part of the propylene, carbon monoxide, and water or lower alcohol can be replaced by binary addition compounds formed pairwise between these materials. In the alternative, isopropylformiate can be continuously rearranged in the presence of hydrogen fluoride to produce isobutyric acid.

Abstract: A process for hydroformylating olefinically unsaturated compounds by means of rhodium/triphenylphosphine/carbonyl complexes formed in situ from rhodium acetate, triphenylphosphine and carbon monoxide, wherein the hydroformylation reaction is preceded by a starting phase in which the mixture of the hydroformylation medium, the triphenylphosphine and rhodium acetate is heated at from 90.degree. to 120.degree. C. under a CO/H.sub.2 pressure of from 5 to 20 bar and the acetic acid liberated is discharged from the reactor in gaseous form in a stream of CO and H.sub.2, until virtually no more acetic acid can be detected in this gaseous discharge.

Abstract: The invention includes a process wherein an olefin is carbonylated with carbon monoxide to form carboxylic acid esters in the presence of a catalyst complex of one mole of BF.sub.3 and one mole of alcohol, and the catalyst is recovered from the desired reaction product and the reaction by-products and is recycled. The carbonylation is carried out until approximately one-half of the alcohol is consumed to form a reaction mass containing the BF.sub.3, the alcohol, and carboxylic acid esters in a 2:1:1 molar ratio. In the first step, the one mole of free BF.sub.3 is vaporized from the reaction mass. The remaining admixture is a 1:1:1 mixture of the aforesaid compounds. To this mixture additional alcohol is added and the mixture is subjected to distillation. An azeotrope of the product carboxylic acid ester and the alcohol and residual alcohol are removed by the distillation, leaving a residue containing a 1:2 BF.sub.

Abstract: A method for recovering isobutyric acid from a solution thereof in concentrated aqueous hydrogen fluoride, the latter having served as the reaction medium for effecting the carbonylation of propylene. The method features the partial removal of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride from said solution to provide an aqueous phase of reduced hydrogen fluoride content from whence the isobutyric acid is extracted with optimum efficiency with an immiscible organic solvent.

Abstract: Water, primary alcohols or secondary alcohols together with carbon monoxide can be added across ethylenic or acetylenic bonds in a wide variety of organic compounds to form acids or esters. The reaction is conducted in the presence of a catalyst system consisting of an organophosphorus palladium halide compound and certain metal halide compounds.

Abstract: Propylene and ethylene may be carbonylated to form carboxylic acid esters or carboxylic acids in the presence of a catalyst complex containing 1 mole of BF.sub.3 and 1 mole of a second complexing component. The carboxylic acid product or acid portion of the ester product has one more carbon atom than the olefin reacted. High yields of these products are obtained. In the case of the formation of the ester, the second complexing component is an alcohol, while in the case of the preparation of carboxylic acid, the second complexing component is water. Methyl isobutyrate and methyl propionate formed by the carbonylation of propylene and ethylene, respectively, in the presence of a BF.sub.3.CH.sub.3 OH catalyst may be dehydrogenated to prepare methyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate, respectively. Similarly, the isobutyric acid and propionic acid formed from propylene and ethylene, respectively, in the presence of BF.sub.3.H.sub.