Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Zeneca Limited

Philip J Hogan

James R Jennings

Lawrence F Kelly

Allan Stewart

John Dewing

Thomas V Whittam

Ross J Cozens

A process is described for the manufacture of a pyridinesulfonyl chloride or a benzenesulfonyl chloride in which the benzene ring bears one or more electron-withdrawing groups, the process comprising reacting a diazonium salt of an aminopyridine or aminobenzene in which the benzene ring bears one or more electron withdrawing groups with a mixture of thionyl chloride in water, in the presence of an electron transfer catalyst.

Process for the manufacture of arylsulfonyl chloride

Selective and controlled dealumination of an aluminosilicate zeolite is achieved by filling the pore system of the zeolite with a foreign material, for example coke, removing part of the foreign material from the outer portion of the zeolite, for example by heating in a gas stream comprising oxygen, dealuminating the outer portion, and then removing the remainder of the foreign material. Use of such a partially dealuminated zeolite as catalyst in a toluene disproportionation reaction leads to greater selectivity to paraxylene.

Toluene disproportionation with a surface dealuminated zeolite

Controlled dealumination of zeolites

Hydrocarbons e.g. toluene and oxyhydrocarbons e.g. methanol are converted to other hydrocarbons by being contacted under conversion conditions with a catalyst comprising zeolite Nu-5.

Hydrocarbon conversion

Novel phosphinites and phosphonites of general formula: ##STR1## where R.sub.2 is an electron-donating substituent, R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 are electron-donating substituents or hydrogen atoms, provided that they are not both hydrogen atoms, or either R.sub.1 or R.sub.3 forms part of a fused alicyclic ring with R.sub.2, R is alkyl or cycloalkyl, and n and m are integers, each being either 1 or 2, provided that (m+n) equals 3, and when n is 2, the substituents on each aromatic ring may be the same or different, and their use as catalysts for the dimerisation of acrylonitrile to give predominantly straight-chain C.sub.6 dimers.

Substituted phenyl phosphinites and phosphonites

Phosphinite and phosphonite compounds selected from the group of isopropyl bis p-isopropoxyphenylphosphinite, isopropyl phenyl(p-methoxyphenyl)phosphinite, isopropyl phenyl (p-isopropoxyphenyl)phosphinite, isopropyl phenyl (p-dimethylaminophenyl)phosphinite, isopropyl phenyl (p-tertiarybutoxyphenyl)phosphinite, di-isopropyl p-isopropoxyphenylphosphonite, di-ethyl p-isopropoxyphenylphosphonite, cyclohexyl bis p-methoxyphenylphosphinite, isopropyl phenyl(p-diethylaminophenyl) phosphinite, isopropyl bis p-methoxyphenylphosphinite, isopropyl bis dimethylaminophenylphosphinite, isopropyl phenyl (p-tertiarybutylphenyl)phosphinite, di-isopropyl p-methoxyphenylphosphonite, di-isopropyl p-dimethylaminophenylphosphonite, di-ethyl p-dimethylaminophenylphosphonite.

Phosphinite and phosphonite compounds

Process for the dimerization of acrylonitrile to predominantly straight-chain 1,4-dicyanobutenes (DCB). The ACN is contacted with an organic phosphinite or phosphonite having at least one substituted aryl group attached to the phosphorus atom in the presence of an inert proton-donating solvent and, optionally, an inert non-hydroxylic cosolvent preferably a hydrocarbon, the ACN and solvent(s) being substantially dry. Selectivities of 95% or even 98%, with respect to 1,4 - DCN, may be obtained.

Dimerization process

Process for the dimerization of acrylonitrile to predominantly straight-chain 1,4-dicyanobutenes (DCB). The ACN is contacted with an organic phosphinite or phosphonite in the presence of an inert proton-donating solvent and, optionally, an inert non-hydroxylic co-solvent preferably a hydrocarbon, the ACN and solvent(s) being substantially dry. Selectivities of 95% are obtained with respect to 1,4 - DCB.

Process for the dimerization of ACN to substantially linear C.sub.6 dimers using organic phosphinites or phosphonites as catalyst, in the presence of a proton-donating solvent and optionally a hydrocarbon co-solvent, the ACN and solvent(s) being dry and at least one of the solvents having a boiling point higher than ACN and being capable of rapid phase separation with respect to the dimeric products. Enables the unreacted ACN to be removed by distillation and the solvent(s) and product to be readily separated. Preferably the catalyst partitions in favor of the solvent phase.

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Runcorn, United Kingdom

Philip J Hogan