Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd.

Yutaka Haneda

Hisaya Miki

Sadao Yoshimoto

Masatoshi Nitabaru

Satoru Ohtani

Yoshinori Morita

Kenji Doi

Hiroshi Fukuhara

Masaaki Yasuda

Hiroshi Nishikawa

Kenji Saeki

Toru Taguchi

Shintarou Araki

Tokinori Agoo

In a gas phase olefin polymerization, an olefin is continuously fed to a fluid bed reactor in which a metallocene catalyst is present. At least one compound selected from water, alcohols and ketones is added in a specified amount simultaneously with the feeding of the olefin. Thus, an olefin polymer having a satisfactory drop second count index as defined by the below indicated formula is produced: ##EQU1## wherein t.sub.0 and t respectively represent a flow time measured in the flow test according to ASTM D-1775 of the olefin polymer obtained when none of the water, alcohols and ketones is incorporated in the reactor, and when at least one compound of water, alcohols and ketones is incorporated in the reactor. The flowability of the polymer formed in the reactor is excellent, so that blocking, bridging and the like do not occur during the gas phase polymerization. Thus, it is feasible to stably produce a (co)polymer having excellent particle properties in high yield for a prolonged period of time.

Process for gas phase polymerization of olefin

In a process for producing 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene from 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene, 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene is oxidized in the presence of a specific proportion of a basic compound to hydroxylate or hydroperoxylate 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene in a high conversion, and the resulting intermediate is then subjected to acid cleavage in the presence of hydrogen peroxide to produce 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene in a high yield. The yield of 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene increases by subjecting the reaction mixture containing the above intermediate to a purifying operation or dehydrating operation or adding acetone to it before it is submitted to the acid cleavage. 2,6-Dihydroxynaphthalene may be reacted with acetic anhydride to obtain 2,6-diacetoxynaphthalene.

Process for oxidizing 2,6-diisopropylnaphthalene

Disclosed in accordance with the present invention are processes for the preparation of hydroperoxides and/or carbinols by liquid phase oxidation of secondary alkyl-substituted naphthalenes with molecular oxygen, wherein the oxidation reaction is carried out by dissolving in the reaction mixture containing the secondary alkyl-substituted naphthalenes at least 0.5 ppm in terms of metal, based on the starting secondary alkyl-substituted naphthalenes, of at least one compound of metal selected from the group consisting of palladium and gold, said metal compound being soluble in the reaction mixture of the secondary alkyl-substituted naphthalenes. When compared with the prior art processes using catalysts of non-homogeneous system, therefore, not only the amount of catalyst used can be minimized but also the rate of oxidation can be enhanced, and hence there can be obtained in a short period of time hydroperoxides and/or carbinols in high yields which are the oxidation products in accordance with the present invention. According to the present invention, the desired hydroperoxide can be obtained in high yields as well as in high purity from the hydroperoxides and/or carbinols obtained in the manner as mentioned above.

Processes for preparing hydroxynaphthalenes

Growing community of inventors

Iwakuni, Japan

Yutaka Haneda