The invention pertains to a process for preparing methyl lactate including the steps of: bringing an aqueous liquid comprising lactic acid, methanol, and at least 5 wt. % of a dissolved chloride salt selected from magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and zinc chloride to reaction conditions, thereby obtaining methyl lactate, wherein an extractant is provided to the reaction mixture before, during, and/or after formation of methyl lactate; subjecting the reaction mixture to a liquid-liquid separation step wherein an organic phase comprising methyl lactate and extractant is separated from an aqueous phase comprising dissolved chloride salt. The extractant preferably includes one or more compounds selected from C5+ ketones and C3-C10 ethers, in particular C5-C8 ketones, more in particular methyl isobutyl ketone. It has been found that the process according to the invention makes it possible to manufacture methyl lactate efficiently and in high yield.

Method for the separation of at least one isoprenic constituent from the resin of a plant of guayule and/or of the guayule type comprising the steps of: a) providing a defatted resin of guayule and/or of the guayule type; b) subjecting the defatted resin to partitioning of the liquid-liquid type with solvents that are immiscible in each other thus obtaining an apolar extract containing the isoprenic constituents guayulin A, guayulin B and argentatin B; and a polar extract containing the isoprene constituents argentatin A, argentatin C and argentatin D; and c) separating at least one isoprenic constituent from said polar extract and/or from the apolar extract thus obtained, wherein step c) comprises a step in which the polar extract is subjected to partitioning of the liquid-liquid type with solvents immiscible in each other and/or a step in which the apolar extract is subjected to partitioning of the solid-liquid type.

Method for the separation of at least one isoprenic constituent from the resin of a plant of guayule and/or of the guayule type comprising the steps of: a) providing a defatted resin of guayule and/or of the guayule type; b) subjecting the defatted resin to partitioning of the liquid-liquid type with solvents that are immiscible in each other thus obtaining an apolar extract containing the isoprenic constituents guayulin A, guayulin B and argentatin B; and a polar extract containing the isoprene constituents argentatin A, argentatin C and argentatin D; and c) separating at least one isoprenic constituent from said polar extract and/or from the apolar extract thus obtained, wherein step c) comprises a step in which the polar extract is subjected to partitioning of the liquid-liquid type with solvents immiscible in each other and/or a step in which the apolar extract is subjected to partitioning of the solid-liquid type.

Methods for preparation of olefins, including 8- and 11-unsaturated monoenes and polyenes, via transition metathesis-based synthetic routes are described. Metathesis reactions in the methods are catalyzed by transition metal catalysts including tungsten-, molybdenum-, and ruthenium-based catalysts. The olefins include insect pheromones useful in a number of agricultural applications.

Methods for preparation of olefins, including 8- and 11-unsaturated monoenes and polyenes, via transition metathesis-based synthetic routes are described. Metathesis reactions in the methods are catalyzed by transition metal catalysts including tungsten-, molybdenum-, and ruthenium-based catalysts. The olefins include insect pheromones useful in a number of agricultural applications.

A method of deconstructing polymer waste into at least one useful breakdown product, wherein the polymer waste contains at least one condensation polymer, the method comprising contacting the polymer waste with a catalyst comprising an organic nitrogen-containing base and a carboxylic acid or ester thereof, in the presence of a protic molecule selected from alcohols, diols, polyols, and amines, at an elevated temperature effective for inducing alcoholysis or aminolysis of the condensation polymer, wherein the useful breakdown products comprise monomer species capable of being polymerized, and the organic nitrogen-containing base has the following structure:

##STR00001##

wherein: R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 are independently selected from hydrogen atom, electron pair, and alkyl groups containing one to three carbon atoms, and wherein any adjacent two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 may optionally interconnect to form a five, six, or seven-membered ring.

A method of deconstructing polymer waste into at least one useful breakdown product, wherein the polymer waste contains at least one condensation polymer, the method comprising contacting the polymer waste with a catalyst comprising an organic nitrogen-containing base and a carboxylic acid or ester thereof, in the presence of a protic molecule selected from alcohols, diols, polyols, and amines, at an elevated temperature effective for inducing alcoholysis or aminolysis of the condensation polymer, wherein the useful breakdown products comprise monomer species capable of being polymerized, and the organic nitrogen-containing base has the following structure:

##STR00001##

wherein: R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 are independently selected from hydrogen atom, electron pair, and alkyl groups containing one to three carbon atoms, and wherein any adjacent two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 may optionally interconnect to form a five, six, or seven-membered ring.

There is provided a method for preparing homofarnesol (1), the method comprising the steps of: a) providing homofarnesylnitrile (2); b) reacting homofarnesylnitrile (2) to homofarnesic acid (3); and c) reacting homofarnesic acid (3) to homofarnesol (1),
wherein the configuration of the double bonds in the compounds 1, 2 and 3 is preserved.

There is provided a method for preparing homofarnesol (1), the method comprising the steps of: a) providing homofarnesylnitrile (2); b) reacting homofarnesylnitrile (2) to homofarnesic acid (3); and c) reacting homofarnesic acid (3) to homofarnesol (1),
wherein the configuration of the double bonds in the compounds 1, 2 and 3 is preserved.

Methods selectively and efficiently produce 3,7-dimethyl-7-octenol and a carboxylic acid ester thereof. More specifically, a method produces 3,7-dimethyl-7-octenol, including steps of: subjecting a 3-methyl-3-butenyl nucleophilic reagent (2) and a 1,3-dihalo-2-methylpropane compound (3) to a coupling reaction to obtain a 2,6-dimethyl-6-heptenyl halide compound (4); converting the compound (4) into a 2,6-dimethyl-6-heptenyl nucleophilic reagent (5); and subjecting the nucleophilic reagent (5) to an addition reaction with at least one electrophilic reagent selected from the group made of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and 1,3,5-trioxane, followed by a hydrolysis reaction to obtain 3,7-dimethyl-7-octenol (6); and the other method. ##STR00001##