Abstract: An alcohol is produced from a compound having an alkenyl group by a hydroformylation of said compound having an alkenyl group in a substantially water immiscible solvent in the presence of a hydroformylation catalyst which is soluble in said solvent and a hydrogenation of the reaction mixture in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst.Water is added at a ratio of 0.5 to 30 times by weight base on an aldehyde produced by said hydroformylation before said hydrogenation, and an organic phase containing the hydroformylation catalyst component is separated from a water phase containing the alcohol produced by said hydrogenation and said organic phase is recycled into said hydroformylation.The compound having an alkenyl group is an aliphatic olefin, a hydroxyolefin, and olefin ether or an olefin ester and the corresponding saturated alcohol having one more carbon atom is produced.

Abstract: A process has been developed for the depyrophorization of pyrophoric metal catalysts, such as Raney nickel catalysts, which comprises treating said pyrophoric metal catalysts in water and/or an organic solvent with an organic nitro compound or a nitroso compound. The catalysts which are obtained according to the process of the invention are useful for carrying out all hydrogenation reaction which can be carried out using the corresponding pyrophoric catalysts. The catalysts obtained are further distinguished by high activity and extended life. They are not contaminated by contact catalyst poisons and can be used essentially without pre-activation.

Abstract: Hydroformylation of olefins is effected in an organic solvent in the presence of a rhodium complex and a trisubstituted phosphine to give the corresponding aldehydes. Addition of a diphosphinoalkane of the general formula ##STR1## wherein, in the formula, A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 are each aryl, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each aryl or saturated hydrocarbon residues containing one or more carbon atoms, and Z is an alkylene radical whose principal chain contains 2 to 5 carbon atoms and optionally may have one or more lower alkyl substituents, to the hydroformylation reaction system in an amount of 0.20 to 2.5 equivalents per gram atom of the rhodium contained in the rhodium complex markedly prolongs the life of the rhodium catalyst.

Abstract: A process for preparing glycol aldehyde by reacting formaldehyde, hydrogen and carbon monoxide at elevated temperature and superatmospheric pressure in the presence of rhodium catalyst and conversion thereof to ethylene glycol as the substantially exclusive polyol product.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a propane-1,3-diol, disubstituted in the 2-position, which comprises contacting an ethanal disubstituted in the 2-position, which ethanal has the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are identical or different and denote optionally substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl or aryl radicals or an optionally substituted heterocyclic radical, or together denote an optionally substituted divalent hydrocarbon radical with formaldehyde in the presence of an acid ion exchanger and thereafter contacting the resultant reaction product with hydrogen under hydrogenation conditions.

Abstract: An asymmetric synthesis process which involves addition of optically active chelated organometal compounds of lithium, sodium, beryllium, magnesium, zinc, copper and cadmium to prochiral unsaturated substrates. The optically active chelating agent is not consumed and can be recycled.

Abstract: An improvement in a process for the preparation of a pinacol of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are identical or different and represent optionally substituted aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic or an aromatic hydrocarbon radical by reducing a ketone of the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 have the abovementioned meanings with a base metal, the improvement comprising carrying out the reduction in the presence of an organic halogen compound and in the presence of a phosphoric acid amide, phosphoric acid ester and/or carboxylic acid amide.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing 1,4-butanediol by (1) selectively hydrogenating acrolein to a product mixture of allyl alcohol and residual acrolein in a 2:1 ratio, (2) converting the product mixture to acrolein diallyl acetal under acidic conditions, (3) selectively hydroformylating the acrolein diallyl acetal to a trialdehyde, and (4) reacting the trialdehyde under substantially neutral hydrolysis/hydrogenation conditions to yield 1,4-butanediol.Acrolein is converted into tetrahydrofuran employing the process conditions described above, except that the step (4) hydrolysis/hydrogenation reaction is conducted under acidic conditions.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing tetrahydrofuran by the reaction of 3-(5'-alkyl-1',3'-dioxane)propionaldehyde and/or 3-(5'-alkyl-1',3'-dioxane)propanol and/or 4-hydroxybutanal with hydrogen in an aqueous medium having a pH between about 0.1 and 5. Maintenance of the reaction medium within the specified acidic range of pH is an important feature of the invention process.

Abstract: An improved process for the production of aliphatic or cycloaliphatic dialdehydes or acetals of the same by reaction of an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic conjugated diene with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium catalyst which is modified with a tertiary phosphine or phosphite at a temperature of from 70.degree. to 160.degree. C and at a pressure of from 100 to 600 atmospheres, the improvement consisting in using as catalyst a rhodium complex which contains carbon monoxide, a tertiary organic phosphine or tertiary organic phosphite and a halogen atom as ligands. Aliphatic and cycloaliphatic dialdehydes or the acetals of the same are suitable for the production of the corresponding diols which may be used in the production of polymers and particularly of polyurethanes.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a dihydric alcohol with the formula ##STR1## wherein R represents an alkyl radical of 1 to 20 carbon atoms which comprises contacting a 2-alkylacrylaldehyde of the formula ##STR2## wherein R has the meaning given above with formaldehyde and thereafter contacting the resultant reaction mixture with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst.

Abstract: Divalent alcohols are produced by catalytic hydrogenation of a mixture comprising 20 to 40% of the corresponding hydroxyaldehyde and an organic compound. The organic compound is a solvent for and has a lower boiling point than the divalent alcohol.