Eastman-kodak Company

Eastman Chemical Company

Other

Yasoo Health, Inc.

John Anthony Hyatt

Samuel D Hilbert

Wayne P Pruett

Peter Borden Mackenzie

Christopher Moore Killian

James Christopher Matayabas, Jr

Leslie Shane Moody

Gino Georges Lavoie

Kevin J Edgar

Peter B MacKenzie

Clarence A Coates, Jr

Alan W White

James R Millis

Charles A McCombs

Robert M Gardner

Julie Maurina-Brunker

Thomas W McMullin

Cataldo A Maggiulli

Eugene C Greenwood

I Daniel Sand

Stephen S Kelley

David S Kashdan

Bobby L Bernard

Gabriel G Saucy

Scott R Thatcher

Maria Teresa Alvarez-Wright

D Mark Naylor

Tony L Sander

Richard William Fengl

Stephen E French

Disclosed is an improved method for preparing the isoflavonoid compound (+/&#x2212;)-equol, the method comprising reducing an organic diester of the isoflavone daidzein under hydrogen-transfer conditions using palladium hydroxide catalyst.

Preparation of flavonoid compounds

Copolymerization of norbornene and functional norbornene monomers

The invention provides methods for producing tocopherol compounds of the Vitamin E family by reduction of various 4-chromanone trienol materials. In preferred embodiments the invention provides methods of preparing and hydrogenating 4-chromanone trienols to provide gamma-tocopherol.

Preparation of tocopherols

The invention provides a method of producing &agr;-tocopherol and &agr;-tocopheryl esters. The method comprises using a biological system to produce farnesol or geranylgeraniol. Then, the farnesol or geranylgernaiol is chemically converted into &agr;-tocopherol or an &agr;-tocopheryl ester.

Method of vitamin production

Disclosed is a process for the preparation and recovery of cyclopropylacetonitrile by a novel combination of process steps beginning with a mixture of cyclopropylmethyl halide, a cyclobutyl halide and a 4-halo-1-butene. The process permits the recovery of substantially pure cyclopropylacetonitrile and cyclobutyl halide, e.g., cyclopropylacetonitrile and cyclobutyl halide each having a purity greater than about 95%.

Process for the preparation of cyclopropylacetonitrile

The invention provides processes for producing phytol, isophytol, and certain phytol derivatives by a method of oxidizing or epoxidizing geranylgeraniol or geranylgeraniol derivatives to form epoxygeranylgeraniol derivatives, reducing or hydrogenating the epoxygeranylgeraniol derivatives to produce epoxyphytol derivatives, and then deoxygenating the epoxyphytol derivatives to produce phytol, isophytol, phytene derivatives, isophytene derivatives, or mixtures thereof. The step of deoxygenating is carried out in the presence of deoxygenation catalysts, including rhenium trioxide compounds. The invention also provides methods for the synthesis of certain novel substituted epoxyphytyl compounds and substituted phytene compounds having removable protecting groups. The produce phytol, isophytol, phytene derivatives, isophytene derivatives, substituted epoxyphytyl compounds and substituted phytene compounds are suitable starting materials for condensation with trimethylhydroquinone derivatives in the presence of Lewis acids to give tocopherol derivatives including alpha-tocopherol, vitamin E.

Method of producing vitamin E

Disclosed is a process for upgrading paper-grade wood pulp to dissolving grade pulp which is suitable for use in the preparation of viscose rayon, cellulose ethers and cellulose esters such as cellulose acetate. The process utilizes a sequence of caustic extraction, xylanase treatment and caustic extraction to remove most of the xylan, which may be recovered for use in the production of xylose, xylitol, and furans.

Process for the co-production of dissolving-grade pulp and xylan

This invention provides a process for preparing conjugated dienes using certain substituted rhenium compounds as catalysts. The substituted rhenium compounds have the formula R.sub.5 ReO.sub.3, wherein R.sub.5 is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl, aryl, aryl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl, cyclopentadienyl and cyclopentadienyl substituted with one to four C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl groups. The process of the invention thus provides a facile method for preparing conjugated dienes using the corresponding tertiary vinyl alcohol as starting material. Examples of such starting materials includes phytols, manool, 5-vinyl-5-nonanol, 1-vinyl4-tert-butylcyclohexanol, and 1-vinylcyclooctanol. The process can be carried out neat as well as in an inert solvent in the gas or solution phase.

Process for preparing conjugated dienes using substituted rhenium

The invention relates to a water-dispersible or water-soluble compound having the structure I ##STR1## wherein, R.sup.1,R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are, independently, hydrogen or methyl, and R.sup.4 is--(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OH, wherein n is from 10 to 100, wherein compound I is the substantially pure D-enantiomer. The invention further relates to a water-dispersible or water-soluble compound having the structure II ##STR2## wherein, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are, independently, hydrogen or methyl, or the salt thereof, wherein compound II is the substantially pure D-enantiomer. The invention further relates to methods for making the tocotrienol compounds of the present invention.

Water-dispersible or water-soluble D-tocotrienol compounds and methods

Disclosed is are the palmitate, stearate and 4-phenylbenzoate esters of D-.gamma.-tocotrienol which are the only known derivatives of D-.gamma.-tocotrienol which are crystalline solids and, therefore, may be utilized in the isolation and purification of D-.gamma.-tocotrienol by crystallization and recrystallization procedures.

Crystalline tocotrienol esters

Disclosed are novel polyether compounds obtained by the reaction or polymerization of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene in the presence of tetrahydrofuran, an acidic catalyst and a nucleophilic initiator compound. The polyether compounds comprise m units of residue (1), n units of residue (2), and p units of residue (3) wherein (i) residues (1), (2) and (3) have the structures: ##STR1## (ii) the total value of m+n+p is 5 to 70; (iii) the value of n/(m+n+p) is in the range of 0.2 to 0.4, i.e., residue (2) constitutes from 20 to 40 mole percent of the total moles of residues (1), (2) and (3); and (iv) at least 98 percent of the terminal groups have the structure: ##STR2##

Polyether glycols and alcohols derived form 3,4-epoxy-1-butene,

Polyether glycols and alcohols derived from 3,4-epoxy-1-butene,

Provided is a method for controlling the molecular weight (i.e., lowering) of microbially-derived celluloses. The lowering of the molecular weight is achieved by adding 2-deoxy-D-glucose to the liquid or solid medium in which Acetobacter xylinum or any other cellulose-producing microbe is grown. The molecular weight of the cellulose produced by the microbes grown in such media varies approximately inversely with the concentration of 2-deoxy-D-glucose in the culture medium. The method thus provided by the present invention is useful in providing microbial source cellulose which has a number average molecular weight of about 7.times.10.sup.5 to about 1.times.10.sup.4. Such lower molecular weight celluloses are useful in coatings formulations in which a relatively lower viscosity binder is desired.

Method for lowering molecular weight of microbial celluloses

Provided is a novel improved process for the preparation of .alpha.-D-cellobiose octaacetate via the acetylative degradation of cellulose or cellulose acetate. The title compound is provided in high yield and quality in a facile one-pot process, amenable to large-scale synthesis.

Process for preparing .alpha.-D-cellobiose octaacetate

Growing community of inventors

Kingsport, TN, United States of America

John Anthony Hyatt