A process for the production of C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 alcohols via the direct hydration of olefins in the presence of water, and acid or a strongly acidic solid with the separation of aqueous crude alcohols from the reaction product.

The subject invention pertains to a continuous process for the production of aqueous paraffin emulsions. A primary emulsion is first formed by subjecting water and paraffin in admixture with an emulsifier and a portion of recycled primary emulsion to heat and turbulent flow. The stability of the primary emulsion is then improved by mixing said primary emulsion with another emulsifier and a portion of a recycled secondary emulsion and subjecting the mixture to heat and turbulent flow to produce s...

A process for the treatment of a halogenated strongly acidic cation exchange resin catalyst on a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymerizate base which comprises treating the catalyst with deionized water at a temperature ranging from about 100.degree. to about 150.degree. C. in the absence of oxygen and metal ions is provided.

A process for continuously producing a lower aliphatic alcohol by the direct hydration of a lower aliphatic olefin having from 3 to 5 carbon atoms in the presence of a strongly acidic cation exchange resin catalyst the improvement which comprises presaturating the olefin feed with from about 0.3 to 1.8 weight percent of water prior to introducing the olefin feed into the reactor.

A process for producing a lower aliphatic alcohol by splitting ethers whereby ethers are reacted at an elevated temperature and pressure with an excess of water in the presence of acidic hydration catalysts is disclosed.

Methyl t-butyl ether and methyl t-amyl ether are produced by reacting methanol with isobutene and isoamylene, respectively, at a total methanol/isoolefine mole ratio of 1-1.2:1 in a series of reaction stages such that in the first reaction stage, the total amount of olefin component is reacted with as much methanol as is required to ensure that the methanol/isoolefine mole ratio in the first reaction stage does not drop to less than 0.65:1, and that the methanol concentration in the effluent str...

Trickle-type fixed-bed catalytic reactions are improved, prior to starting or resuming an on-stream period, by purging air from the catalyst bed and reaction zone by downward flow of an inert gas therethrough, flooding the purged reaction zone by flowing a liquid upwardly through the catalyst bed to cover same, then removing the liquid and instituting the on-stream period by introducing gaseous and liquid reactants at the upper end of the catalyst bed to flow downwardly therethrough.

A continuous process for producing gamma-butyrolactone by hydrogenating maleic anhydride in two stages in the presence of a catalyst composed of cobalt oxide and palladium on a support of silica. The hydrogenation is performed at a hydrogen pressure of 100 to 125 atmospheres and at a temperature of 50.degree. to 100.degree. C. in the first stage and at 190.degree. to 220.degree. C. in the second stage.

Trickle-type fixed-bed catalytic reactions are improved, prior to starting or resuming an on-stream period, by purging air from the catalyst bed and reaction zone by downward flow of an inert gas therethrough, flooding the purged reaction zone by flowing a liquid upwardly through the catalyst bed to cover same, then removing the liquid and instituting the on-stream period by introducing gaseous and liquid reactants at the upper end of the catalyst bed to flow downwardly therethrough.

Trickle-type fixed-bed catalytic reactions are improved, prior to starting or resuming an on-stream period, by purging air from the catalyst bed and reaction zone by downward flow of an inert gas therethrough, flooding the purged reaction zone by flowing a liquid upwardly through the catalyst bed to cover same, then removing the liquid and instituting the on-stream period by introducing gaseous and liquid reactants at the upper end of the catalyst bed to flow downwardly therethrough.