A method is described for preparing cyclopropyl-substituted acetophenones of the general formula (I). ##STR00001##

Disclosed is a two-step process to make a dialdehyde. In the process a diepoxide is first hydrolyzed with an alcohol solvent to an intermediate which is then subjected to a double-Pinacol rearrangement to obtain a dialdehyde. The dialdehydes have utility as chemical intermediates, and particular utility in processes to make enol ether compounds which can be used in applications as plasticizers, diluents, wetting agents, coalescing aids and as intermediates in chemical processes.

We have discovered that a di-epoxide can be converted to a dialdehyde using an amorphous silica-alumina catalyst. The method comprises contacting a di-epoxide mixed in an organic solvent with a silica-alumina catalyst to form a solvent and dialdehyde reaction product mixture and separating said dialdehyde from said reaction mixture. The dialdehydes have utility as chemical intermediates, and particular utility in processes to make enol ether compounds which can be used in applications as plasticizers, diluents, wetting agents, coalescing aids and as intermediates in chemical processes.

We have discovered that a di-epoxide can be converted to a dialdehyde using an amorphous silica-alumina catalyst. The method comprises contacting a di-epoxide mixed in an organic solvent with a silica-alumina catalyst to form a solvent and dialdehyde reaction product mixture and separating said dialdehyde from said reaction mixture. The dialdehydes have utility as chemical intermediates, and particular utility in processes to make enol ether compounds which can be used in applications as plasticizers, diluents, wetting agents, coalescing aids and as intermediates in chemical processes.

We have discovered that a di-epoxide can be converted to a dialdehyde using an amorphous silica-alumina catalyst. The method comprises contacting a di-epoxide mixed in an organic solvent with a silica-alumina catalyst to form a solvent and dialdehyde reaction product mixture and separating said dialdehyde from said reaction mixture. The dialdehydes have utility as chemical intermediates, and particular utility in processes to make enol ether compounds which can be used in applications as plasticizers, diluents, wetting agents, coalescing aids and as intermediates in chemical processes.

A method is described for preparing cyclopropyl-substituted acetophenones of the general formula (I).

##STR00001##

A method is described for preparing cyclopropyl-substituted acetophenones of the general formula (I).

##STR00001##

A method is described for preparing cyclopropyl-substituted acetophenones of the general formula (I).

##STR00001##

Proposed is a catalyst system specifically for the rearrangement of epoxides into allyl alcohols comprising or consisting of (a) a salt of formula (I) XY (I) in which X represents Zn.sup.2+ and/or Co.sup.2+ and Y represents an anion selected from the group formed from laurate, palmitate, stearate, picolinate, glycinate, gluconate, naphthenate, 2-hexyldecanoate, 2-octyldodecanoate, cyclohexane butyrate and mixtures thereof, and (b) at least one aminophenol.

Proposed is a catalyst system specifically for the rearrangement of epoxides into allyl alcohols comprising or consisting of (a) a salt of formula (I) XY (I) in which X represents Zn.sup.2+ and/or Co.sup.2+ and Y represents an anion selected from the group formed from laurate, palmitate, stearate, picolinate, glycinate, gluconate, naphthenate, 2-hexyldecanoate, 2-octyldodecanoate, cyclohexane butyrate and mixtures thereof, and (b) at least one aminophenol.