The Dow Chemical Company

Dowelanco

Thad S Hormel

Wayne C Muench

Charles A Wilson

Lanny A Robbins

Karl L Krumel

Kim G Bargeron

Pamela M Kirchhoff

David K Winegardner

Bruce G Lovelace

Glen O Strand

Finely divided potassium chloride is removed from mixtures with polar, aprotic solvents, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, by combining the mixture with sufficient water to dissolve a significant portion, but not all of the potassium chloride present, removing the added water by distillation, and subsequently separating the larger crystals of the salt that form by filtration or centrifugation. The amount of water employed is in the same general range as the amount of polar, aprotic solvent present.

Removal of potassium chloride from solvents

The title compounds are prepared by the reaction of a 2-alkyl-2-oxazoline with hydrogen sulfide in a continuous process wherein both reactants are maintained in the liquid phase throughout the reaction by the use of superatmospheric pressure. This continuous process reduces the reaction time substantially compared to prior art process and also reduces the quantity of by-products.

Preparation of N-(2-mercaptoethyl)alkanamides

A process is provided for the production of hydroxybenzyl alcohols, comprising condensing phenol with formaldehyde in an alkaline solution to form a mixture of ortho- and para-hydroxymethyl phenols, and solvent extracting unreacted phenol from the resulting alkaline hydroxybenzyl alcohol condensate solution. The phenol-reduced hydroxybenzyl alcohol condensate solution is particularly suited for treatment with excess caustic and subsequent oxidation of the resulting aqueous solution of ortho- and para-hydroxybenzyl alcohols-sodium salt to yield the corresponding ortho- and para-hydroxybenzaldehydes-sodium salt.

Process for the production of hydroxybenzyl alcohols

A noble metal catalyst, such as palladium, is activated by successive and sequential reactions with an alcohol, such as hydroxybenzyl alcohol, and oxygen or a gas containing oxygen in an aqueous, preferably alkaline, medium, The catalyst activated in the aforementioned manner is particularly useful for the oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes.

Catalyst activation in oxidation process

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Midland, MI, United States of America

Thad S Hormel