A process for continuously preparing the tert-butyl ester of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, by a) reacting an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid with isobutene in the presence of an acidic catalyst to give an esterification mixture; b) removing the acidic catalyst; c) removing low-boiling components; and d) supplying a tert-butyl ester-comprising liquid to a distillation apparatus and subjecting it to purifying distillation in the distillation apparatus, where d1) in the distillation apparatus the tert-butyl ester-comprising liquid is separated into a tert-butyl ester-comprising gaseous top product and a carboxylic acid-comprising liquid bottom product; d2) the tert-butyl ester-comprising gaseous top product is at least partly condensed and the condensate is recycled partly as reflux to the distillation apparatus; d3) the carboxylic acid-comprising liquid bottom product is recycled at least partly to step a); d4) carboxylic acid-comprising liquid bottom product is drawn off and passed to a heater; a superheated, liquid recycle stream is taken from the heater; and the superheated recycle stream is let down into the distillatiuon apparatus; and d5) at least in the top region of the distillation apparatus, the distillation apparatus walls in contact with the vapor, at least in sub-regions, are heated and/or thermally insulated. In the course of the process, the separation of the tert-butyl ester from unreacted carboxylic acid is carried on with a particularly low level of accompanying polymerization both of the tert-butyl ester and of the carboxylic acid.

Methods of synthesis of hypervalent iodine reagents and methods for oxidation of organic compounds are disclosed.

Methods of synthesis of hypervalent iodine reagents and methods for oxidation of organic compounds are disclosed.

Processes for producing a linear internal olefin product include the steps of contacting an olefin feed containing C.sub.10-C.sub.20 vinylidenes and a C.sub.10-C.sub.20 normal alpha olefin and/or C.sub.10-C.sub.20 linear internal olefins, a first acid catalyst, and a C.sub.1 to C.sub.18 carboxylic acid to form a first reaction product containing linear internal olefins, trisubstituted olefins, and secondary esters, then removing all or a portion of the secondary esters from the first reaction product, followed by contacting the secondary esters and a second acid catalyst to form a second reaction product comprising linear internal olefins, and then removing all or a portion of the linear internal olefins from the second reaction product to form the linear internal olefin product. Linear alkanes subsequently can be produced by hydrogenating the linear internal olefin product to form a linear alkane product.

Processes for producing a linear internal olefin product include the steps of contacting an olefin feed containing C.sub.10-C.sub.20 vinylidenes and a C.sub.10-C.sub.20 normal alpha olefin and/or C.sub.10-C.sub.20 linear internal olefins, a first acid catalyst, and a C.sub.1 to C.sub.18 carboxylic acid to form a first reaction product containing linear internal olefins, trisubstituted olefins, and secondary esters, then removing all or a portion of the secondary esters from the first reaction product, followed by contacting the secondary esters and a second acid catalyst to form a second reaction product comprising linear internal olefins, and then removing all or a portion of the linear internal olefins from the second reaction product to form the linear internal olefin product. Linear alkanes subsequently can be produced by hydrogenating the linear internal olefin product to form a linear alkane product.

An integrated process for the production of one or more acetylene derivatives is provided. The integrated process includes a) partially oxidizing a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a partial oxidation mixture comprising H.sub.2, CO, and acetylene, b) providing the H.sub.2 and CO of the partial oxidation mixture to a collocated methanol production process to produce a methanol-containing effluent; c) providing the methanol-containing effluent to a collocated carbonylation process to produce an acetic acid-containing effluent; and d) providing the acetylene of the partial oxidation mixture and the acetic acid-containing effluent to one or more of the collocated acetylene-derivative processes following: i) a vinyl acetate monomer production process; ii) an oxidation unit for the production of formaldehyde from the methanol-containing effluent; iii) a vinyl chloride monomer production process, and/or iv) a 1,4-butanediol production process.

An integrated process for the production of one or more acetylene derivatives is provided. The integrated process includes a) partially oxidizing a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a partial oxidation mixture comprising H.sub.2, CO, and acetylene, b) providing the H.sub.2 and CO of the partial oxidation mixture to a collocated methanol production process to produce a methanol-containing effluent; c) providing the methanol-containing effluent to a collocated carbonylation process to produce an acetic acid-containing effluent; and d) providing the acetylene of the partial oxidation mixture and the acetic acid-containing effluent to one or more of the collocated acetylene-derivative processes following: i) a vinyl acetate monomer production process; ii) an oxidation unit for the production of formaldehyde from the methanol-containing effluent; iii) a vinyl chloride monomer production process, and/or iv) a 1,4-butanediol production process.

An integrated process for the production of one or more acetylene derivatives is provided. The integrated process includes a) partially oxidizing a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a partial oxidation mixture comprising H.sub.2, CO, and acetylene, b) providing the H.sub.2 and CO of the partial oxidation mixture to a collocated methanol production process to produce a methanol-containing effluent; c) providing the methanol-containing effluent to a collocated carbonylation process to produce an acetic acid-containing effluent; and d) providing the acetylene of the partial oxidation mixture and the acetic acid-containing effluent to one or more of the collocated acetylene-derivative processes following: i) a vinyl acetate monomer production process; ii) an oxidation unit for the production of formaldehyde from the methanol-containing effluent; iii) a vinyl chloride monomer production process, and/or iv) a 1,4-butanediol production process.

A process for the synthesis of acrylic acid oligomer represented by formula (I):

##STR00001## in which n is an integer ranging from 1 to 10,

wherein the process comprises the step of heating acrylic acid at a temperature from 50 C. to 200 C. in the presence of a catalyst, water and at least one polymerization inhibitor. Formula (I) where n=0 is acrylic acid, the precursor for preparing the acrylic acid oligomer.

A process for the synthesis of acrylic acid oligomer represented by formula (I):

##STR00001## in which n is an integer ranging from 1 to 10,

wherein the process comprises the step of heating acrylic acid at a temperature from 50 C. to 200 C. in the presence of a catalyst, water and at least one polymerization inhibitor. Formula (I) where n=0 is acrylic acid, the precursor for preparing the acrylic acid oligomer.