Abstract: A process for preparing a methyl-blocked ethoxylate comprises heating at 180.degree.-320.degree. C., in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a noble metal catalyst, an unsubstituted ethoxylate of 3 or more ethoxy units, or a monoalkyl-, monoaryl-, mono- or di-alkylamino- or mono- or di-arylamino ethoxylate of 2 or more ethoxy units, or a monoalkyl- or monoaryl-N,N-bis(ethoxylate) of 2 or more ethoxy units, all of which are derived from vicinal glycols, whereby there is prepared a corresponding methyl-blocked ethoxylate product which, for an unsubstituted ethoxylate starting material is a dimethylethoxylate having two fewer ethoxy units than the starting ethoxylate, and for the other ethoxylate starting materials, is a methylethoxylate having one less ethoxy unit in each ethoxylate group of the starting material.

Abstract: Oxyalkylene group of an alkylene oxide is inserted into a chain-type ether compound having at least one lower alkyl group by reacting the latter with the alkylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst prepared by mixing boron trifluoride and/or stannic chloride with an active-hydrogen compound exemplified by water or a lower aliphatic alcohol. The reaction results reduced formation of by-product dimer of the alkylene oxide even under an increased charging ratio of the alkylene oxide to the chain-type ether.

Abstract: A process for the production of a mono- or poly-alkylene glycol diether which consists of reacting an ether having at least one lower alkyl group with alkylene oxide in the presence of a heteropoly acid or a heteropoly acid acidic salt. Heteropoly acids and their acidic salts whose ratio of the hetero and coordinate atom is 1:6 and 1:12 are preferably used.

Abstract: Cresylic acid ethoxylation is catalyzed by basic compounds and salts of alkaline earth metals. Ethoxylates from such reactions have narrow ethylene oxide distributions, lower pour points and lower by-products as compared to alkali base catalyzed ethoxylation. Suitable catalysts include strontium-containing and barium-containing materials. The catalyst also includes co-catalyst combinations using these materials with one or more promoters including polyols, amines, amides, carboxylic acids and phenols. The co-catalyst combinations can be preformed prior to introduction into the reaction mixture.

Abstract: An improved process for making linear polyethers having a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution comprises contacting a monoepoxide with a salt selected from the group consisting of fluoborate, fluophosphate, fluoantimonate and fluoarsenate salts of a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, lead, nickel, aluminum, cadmium, cobalt, tin, zinc and copper in the presence of a hydroxyl-containing compound at a controlled temperature of about -78.degree. C. to less than +20.degree. C. and in the absence of any additional acid.

Abstract: Polyetherpolyols containing residues of catalysts of the double metal cyanide complex class are treated with a strong base and ion exchanged or neutralized and filtered to provide a stable polyol with reduced tendency to form allophanates with diisocyanates. Further, the addition of ethylene oxide to the polyol while in contact with the strong base serves to end cap the polyol to provide it with primary hydroxyl groups.

Abstract: Hydroxyalkylphenyl ether or thioether compounds are prepared by reaction of cyclic organic carbonate compounds with phenols or thiophenols in the presence of an alkali metal halide catalyst.

Abstract: Chemical reaction products, obtained in an alkaline medium and which require the addition of a dispersing agent, are neutralized by addition of a free surface-active acid to which, after its preparation, basic agents have not been added or have only been added up to a pH value of 3.

Abstract: Hydroxyalkylphenyl ether or thioether compounds are prepared by reaction of cyclic organic carbonate compounds with phenols or thiophenols in the presence of phosphonium catalysts.

Abstract: Hydroxyalkylphenyl ether or thioether compounds are prepared by reaction of cyclic organic carbonate compounds with phenols or thiophenols in the presence of Na.sub.2 SnO.sub.3 catalyst.

Abstract: A method of producing essentially monomeric etherified formaldehyde condensates with a bisphenol having a plurality of formaldehyde-reactive sites is disclosed in which the bisphenol is reacted with at least about 2 moles of formaldehyde per mole of bisphenol in solution in etherifying alcohol in the presence of an insoluble strong acid cation exchange resin. The reaction is carried out at a reaction temperature of from about 30.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. to simultaneously provide the desired methylolation and etherification without introducing soluble ionic contaminants.

Abstract: Hydroxyalkylphenyl ether or thioether compounds are prepared by reaction of cyclic organic carbonate compounds with phenols or thiophenols in the presence of an imidazole catalyst.

Abstract: Compounds of the following formula are suitable for reducing the interfacial surface tension of oily phases with respect to water: ##STR1## wherein z is 1 or 2,R, for z=1, is alkyl, aralkyl, or alkylaryl of 8-22 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, or hydroxyalkyl of 2-22 carbon atoms, and, for z=2, is (aryl)alkylene of 4-18 carbon atoms,R' and R" each independently is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkyl wherein R' and R" are not simultaneously hydrogen and R' and R" together have 8-20 total carbon atoms,x is 10-40 andy is 1.2-5.

Abstract: New liquid thickeners for aqueous liquids are obtained by capping a liquid straight chain polyoxyalkylene compound derived from ethylene oxide or ethylene oxide and at least one other lower alkylene oxide by reacting said alkylene oxides with at least one active hydrogen-containing initiator having only one active hydrogen atom. The new thickeners are prepared at a molecular weight of about 1000 to about 25,000 utilizing an alpha-olefin oxide having a carbon chain of about 12 to about 18 aliphatic carbon atoms. Both block and heteric polyoxyalkylene compounds are useful. Alternatively, the new thickeners can be made by copolymerizing ethylene oxide or mixed lower alkylene oxides in the presence of said alpha-olefin oxide. The new thickeners exhibit an unexpected increase in viscosity in aqueous systems as compared with prior art liquid polyether thickening agents.

Abstract: The invention describes an improved process for preparing polyols by reacting a mono-epoxy compound such as propylene oxide with a hydroxyl-containing initiator compound such as glycerine in the presence of a catalyst, the improvement being that the catalyst is added in the form of a calcium, strontium or barium salt of an organic acid such as acetic acid.Polyols prepared by this process can be employed to prepare polyurethanes without removing the catalyst.

Abstract: Linear polypropylene ether glycols of high molecular weight are made by reacting a linear polypropylene ether glycol of lower molecular weight first with an alkaline agent such as sodium hydroxide or other suitable base to form an alcoholate, and then coupling the alcoholate with a suitable difunctional coupling agent, such as the benzene-sulfonic acid diester of ethylene glycol or with some other suitable arylsulfonic acid diester of a C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 alcohol, thereby obtaining a 100 percent linear polypropylene ether glycol of a desirably higher molecular weight. Materials so produced find use in an aqueous medium as defoaming agents, thickeners, or emulsifiers, and use as protective colloids to improve the low-temperature stability of polyurethane and other latices.

Abstract: The novel hydroquinone derivatives of the formula (I) are useful intermediates for the preparation of coenzyme Q, vitamin K and the polyprenyltrimethylquinones: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is lower alkyl, lower alkoxy lower alkyl or methoxyethoxymethyl, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each methyl or methoxy, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, taken together with the carbon atoms from which they depend, define a benzene ring, and R.sup.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon. The compounds (I) are readily prepared either by reacting a Grignard reagent of the formula (II) with a halosulfone (III) in the presence of a copper compound, or by reacting a copper derivative (II') of the Grignard reagent (II) with a halo-sulfone (III), as follows: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are defined as above, and X is a halogen atom or a tosyl group.

Abstract: A bisphenol is reacted with formaldehyde in solution in alcohol in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide, preferably at a pH of from 7-10, to provide a polymethylol derivative. Nitric acid is then added to precipitate the hydroxide and an excess is preferably used to provide an acid pH, preferably pH 1-3, and the acidic mixture is heat reacted to remove water of etherification. The nitric acid catalyst is then precipitated with alkali metal hydroxide to enable easy removal of both acid and alkali as an insoluble salt.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved method for the in situ end point determination of the oxyethylation of phenols. In the present invention, the oxyethylation reactions occur in the presence of catalysts and at temperatures in excess of 100.degree. C. The reaction end point is monitored by continuous measurements of the electrical conductivity of the reaction mixture and the reaction is terminated when a preselected rate of change of conductance is attained.The method of the present invention may be used with complex phenolic systems wherein alkali metal hydroxides, quarternary ammonium salts, or alkali metal alkoxides are used as oxyethylation catalysts.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula IA.multidot.m B (I)whereinA is a compound of the formula II or III ##STR1## m is a rational number between 0.1 and 4.0, and B is H.sub.2 O.sub.2, N.sub.2 H.sub.4 or NH.sub.2 OH, andR.sub.1 is an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical which has 3-30 C atoms and which can be interrupted by oxygen or sulfur atoms,R.sub.2 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.30 alkyl,X is --O-- or --SO.sub.2 -- and, in the case where B is N.sub.2 H.sub.4 or NH.sub.2 OH, also --S-- or --SO--,Y is the direct bond, ##STR2## Q is --CH.sub.2, --CH(OH)--CH.sub.2 -- or --CH(CH.sub.2 --OH)--, and n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of aromatic ethers by the bromination of a compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, independently, is hydrogen, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkyl; m is an integer from 1-4, and A is --CHO, --COOR.sub.3 or lower alkyl, and subsequently treating the reaction product of the bromination step with an alkali metal alkoxide in the presence of cuprous halide or oxide, is described.

Abstract: There are disclosed polyoxyalkylene compound demulsifying agents derived from tetrahydrofuran and C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 vicinal alkylene oxides which are heteric/block copolymers; a process for the preparation of said polyoxyalkylene compounds; a demulsified petroleum crude oil; and a batch or continuous process for the demulsification of crude petroleum oil.

Abstract: Oxalkylene groups of oxacycloalkanes are inserted into chain-type ethers by reacting the latter with the oxacycloalkanes in the presence of Lewis acids. The ethers or ether mixtures obtained can be used for many purposes owing to their hydrophilic-hydrophobic character, for example as absorption and extraction agents, as solvents and as additives to hydraulic fluids.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the removal of troublesome secondary products, particularly small quantities of water, solvents, low molecular weight glycols, and pungent-smelling substances, from polyethers by means of a tubular coil evaporator.

Abstract: An improvement in the process of alkaline catalyst removal from crude polyoxyalkylene ether polyols is achieved by treating a mixture of crude polyol, adsorbent, and water with magnesium carbonate and carbon dioxide just prior to filtration.

Abstract: An improvement in the process for the removal of residual catalyst from polyether polyols is achieved by the use of a solvent wash and recovery system.

Abstract: A process for preparing non-ionic surface active agents comprises condensing crude glycidol, in the presence of an alkaline catalyst on an organic compound containing an active hydrogen atom. The crude glycidol is prepared by dehydrochlorinating glycerol monochlorohydrin with sodium or potassium hydroxide in the presence of a solvent, neutralizing excess sodium or potassium hydroxide with a strong acid and separating the major portion of the sodium or potassium chloride formed.