Provided are a method for producing 3-methylglutaraldehyde in a good yield under a mild condition and a novel acetal compound which is useful for carrying out the foregoing method. The method is a production method of 3-methylglutaraldehyde including a step of hydrolyzing a compound represented by the following general formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or are mutually coupled to represent an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms.

Provided are a method for producing 3-methylglutaraldehyde in a good yield under a mild condition and a novel acetal compound which is useful for carrying out the foregoing method. The method is a production method of 3-methylglutaraldehyde including a step of hydrolyzing a compound represented by the following general formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or are mutually coupled to represent an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms.

Provided are a method for producing a terminal conjugated dienal compound without an oxidation reaction and a terminal hydroxyacetal compound useful as an intermediate in the method. More specifically, provided are a method for producing an (E)-dienal compound comprising the steps of: a metalation reaction of an alkynal acetal compound (1) to obtain an organic metal compound (2), an addition reaction of (2) to ethylene oxide to obtain a hydroxyalkynal acetal compound (3), a reduction reaction of (3) to obtain an (E)-hydroxyalkenal acetal compound (4), a functional group conversion reaction of (4) to obtain an (E)-alkenal acetal compound (5) having a leaving group X, an elimination reaction of (5) to obtain an (E)-dienal acetal compound (6), and a hydrolysis reaction of (6) to obtain the (E)-dienal compound (7); and others.

##STR00001##

Provided are a method for producing a terminal conjugated dienal compound without an oxidation reaction and a terminal hydroxyacetal compound useful as an intermediate in the method. More specifically, provided are a method for producing an (E)-dienal compound comprising the steps of: a metalation reaction of an alkynal acetal compound (1) to obtain an organic metal compound (2), an addition reaction of (2) to ethylene oxide to obtain a hydroxyalkynal acetal compound (3), a reduction reaction of (3) to obtain an (E)-hydroxyalkenal acetal compound (4), a functional group conversion reaction of (4) to obtain an (E)-alkenal acetal compound (5) having a leaving group X, an elimination reaction of (5) to obtain an (E)-dienal acetal compound (6), and a hydrolysis reaction of (6) to obtain the (E)-dienal compound (7); and others.

##STR00001##

There are provided methods of efficiently producing compounds that are, for example, sex pheromones of San Jose Scale. For example, there is provided a method for producing a 7-methyl-3-methylene-7-octenyl carboxylate compound (1), the method including the step of coupling a nucleophilic reagent expressed as a 3-methyl-3-butenyl M of General Formula (8):

##STR00001##

wherein M is a cationic moiety, with an acetal compound of General Formula (9):

##STR00002##

wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, which may be the same or different, are each an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or are bonded to each other to form a divalent alkylene group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, and X is a leaving group, to obtain the 7-methyl-3-methylene-7-octenal acetal compound.

There are provided methods of efficiently producing compounds that are, for example, sex pheromones of San Jose Scale. For example, there is provided a method for producing a 7-methyl-3-methylene-7-octenyl carboxylate compound (1), the method including the step of coupling a nucleophilic reagent expressed as a 3-methyl-3-butenyl M of General Formula (8):

##STR00001##

wherein M is a cationic moiety, with an acetal compound of General Formula (9):

##STR00002##

wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, which may be the same or different, are each an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or are bonded to each other to form a divalent alkylene group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, and X is a leaving group, to obtain the 7-methyl-3-methylene-7-octenal acetal compound.

This specification discloses an operational continuous process to convert lignin as found in ligno-cellulosic biomass before or after converting at least some of the carbohydrates. The continuous process has been demonstrated to create a slurry comprised of lignin, raise the slurry comprised of lignin to ultra-high pressure, deoxygenate the lignin in a lignin conversion reactor over a catalyst which is not a fixed bed without producing char. The conversion products of the carbohydrates or lignin can be further processed into polyester intermediates for use in polyester preforms and bottles.

This specification discloses an operational continuous process to convert lignin as found in ligno-cellulosic biomass before or after converting at least some of the carbohydrates. The continuous process has been demonstrated to create a slurry comprised of lignin, raise the slurry comprised of lignin to ultra-high pressure, deoxygenate the lignin in a lignin conversion reactor over a catalyst which is not a fixed bed without producing char. The conversion products of the carbohydrates or lignin can be further processed into polyester intermediates for use in polyester preforms and bottles.

The invention relates to a multi-stage process for preparing 2,6-dialkylphenylacetic acids of the general formula (I) by reacting 2,6-dialkylbromobenzenes with (1) magnesium, (2) a formamide, (3) an acid, (4) hydrogenation of the benzaldehyde obtained, (5) activation of the benzyl alcohol obtained, (6) cyanation of the activated benzyl alcohol and (7) hydrolysis of the nitrile obtained.

The invention relates to a multi-stage process for preparing 2,6-dialkylphenylacetic acids of the general formula (I) by reacting 2,6-dialkylbromobenzenes with (1) magnesium, (2) a formamide, (3) an acid, (4) hydrogenation of the benzaldehyde obtained, (5) activation of the benzyl alcohol obtained, (6) cyanation of the activated benzyl alcohol and (7) hydrolysis of the nitrile obtained.