Monsanto Company

George F Schaefer

Denis Forster

Roy A Periana

George E Barker

A process for the production of para-oriented dicarboxylic aromatic acids is disclosed in which an aromatic compound, having a tertiary alkyl group, is oxidized with molecular oxygen in the presence of a catalytic composition comprising a cobalt salt, a minor amount of a manganese salt, and a source of chloride in the presence of a solvent.

Oxidation of tertiary-alkyl substituted aromatics

Novel, liquid mixtures of isomeric aldehydes and alcohols are described in the C.sub.11 -C.sub.16 carbon range, the compounds being characterized by a main carbon branched at the position and moderate additional branching in most isomers; the aldehyde mixtures are prepared by an economic route from olefins involving oxo and aldol reaction with the reaction conducted in such a way as to give a high percentage of aldolable product, and preferably with a base catalyzed aldol reaction conducted under conditions to make high conversions attainable. The aldehyde mixtures can be hydrogenated to alcohols and converted to novel ethoxylates or sulfate compositions suitable for use as biodegradable detergents; or hydrogenated and oxidized to novel carboxylic acid compositions also suitable for detergent use.

Detergent range aldehyde and alcohol mixtures and derivatives, and

A novel, liquid mixture of C.sub.14 isomeric alcohols is described which is suitable for use in forming effective and biodegradable detergents, the alcohols being characterized by a 5-carbon branch at the 2-position and moderate additional branching in most isomers; the alcohols are prepared by a novel economic route from propylene dimer, involving oxo, aldol and hydrogenation reactions with the oxo reaction conducted in such a way as to give a high percentage of aldolable product and preferably with a base-catalyzed aldol reaction conducted under particular conditions to make high conversions attainable.

Preparation of pentyl nonanols

Hydrogenolysis of hydrobenzoins [1,2-bis(aryl)ethane-1,2-diols] in the presence of a catalyst comprising cobalt carbonyl yields 1,2-bis(aryl)ethanes. The process is particularly directed to the production of 1,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane from 4,4-dihydroxyhydrobenzoin [1,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane-1,2-diol].

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Olivette, MO, United States of America

George F Schaefer