A process for the preparation of lactic acid and 2-hydroxy-3-butenoic acid or esters thereof from a sugar in the presence of a metallo-silicate material, a metal ion and a solvent, wherein the metal ion is selected from one or more of the group consisting of potassium ions, sodium ions, lithium ions, rubidium ions and caesium ions.

The use of bio oil from at least one renewable source in a hydrotreatment process, in which process hydrocarbons are formed from said glyceride oil in a catalytic reaction, and the iron content of said bio oil is less than 1 w-ppm calculated as elemental iron. A bio oil intermediate including bio oil from at least one renewable source and the iron content of said bio oil is less than 1 w-ppm calculated as elemental iron.

The use of bio oil from at least one renewable source in a hydrotreatment process, in which process hydrocarbons are formed from said glyceride oil in a catalytic reaction, and the iron content of said bio oil is less than 1 w-ppm calculated as elemental iron. A bio oil intermediate including bio oil from at least one renewable source and the iron content of said bio oil is less than 1 w-ppm calculated as elemental iron.

The invention relates to a method for producing a biomass-resource-derived polyurethane, which comprises: reacting a dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic diol to produce a polyester polyol; and reacting the polyester polyol and a polyisocyanate compound, wherein the dicarboxylic acid contains at least one component derived from biomass resources, a content of an organic acid in the dicarboxylic acid is more than 0 ppm and not more than 1,000 ppm relative to the dicarboxylic acid, and a pKa value of the organic acid at 25? C. is not more than 3.7.

The invention relates to a method for producing a biomass-resource-derived polyurethane, which comprises: reacting a dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic diol to produce a polyester polyol; and reacting the polyester polyol and a polyisocyanate compound, wherein the dicarboxylic acid contains at least one component derived from biomass resources, a content of an organic acid in the dicarboxylic acid is more than 0 ppm and not more than 1,000 ppm relative to the dicarboxylic acid, and a pKa value of the organic acid at 25? C. is not more than 3.7.

A compound capable of suppressing the occurrence of alignment defects and lowering the phase transition temperature of a liquid crystal composition without impairing optical characteristics is provided. In particular, a compound represented by formula (A) is provided in which the variable groups are as defined in the specification.

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A compound capable of suppressing the occurrence of alignment defects and lowering the phase transition temperature of a liquid crystal composition without impairing optical characteristics is provided. In particular, a compound represented by formula (A) is provided in which the variable groups are as defined in the specification.

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The present invention includes an ultraviolet radiation absorbing polymer composition comprising the polymer compound of formula

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and compositions containing such an ultraviolet radiation absorbing polymer composition.

The present invention includes an ultraviolet radiation absorbing polymer composition comprising the polymer compound of formula

##STR00001##

and compositions containing such an ultraviolet radiation absorbing polymer composition.

A process comprising reacting a mono- or di-carboxylic acid and/or acid anhydride with a glycol ether in the presence of phosphoric acid to produce a glycol ether ester product having low color and low VOC content.