Processes are disclosed for the conversion of a carbohydrate source to hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) and to intermediates useful for the production of hexamethylenediamine and other industrial chemicals. HMDA is produced by direct reduction of a furfural substrate to 1,6-hexanediol in the presence of hydrogen and a heterogeneous reduction catalyst comprising Pt or by indirect reduction of a furfural substrate to 1,6-hexanediol wherein 1,2,6-hexanetriol is produced by reduction of the furfural substrate in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst comprising Pt and 1,2,6-hexanediol is then converted by hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst comprising Pt to 1,6 hexanediol, each process then proceeding to the production of HMDA by known routes, such as amination of the 1,6 hexanediol. Catalysts useful for the direct and indirect production of 1,6-hexanediol are also disclosed.

A process for producing a high-purity dimethyl carbonate, which includes: (I) cooling a commercial grade dimethyl carbonate containing 1 ppm or more of chlorine to a temperature from +6° C. to −5° C. at a rate from 0.5-2° C./hour, to obtain a first solid dimethyl carbonate; (II) heating the first solid dimethyl carbonate to a temperature from −5° C. to +6° C. at a rate of 1-5° C./hour, to obtain a mixture comprising a second solid dimethyl carbonate and a predetermined amount of a first liquid dimethyl carbonate; (III) separating the first liquid dimethyl carbonate from the mixture, to obtain the second solid dimethyl carbonate; (IV) heating the second solid dimethyl carbonate to a temperature from 20° C. to 40° C., to obtain a second liquid dimethyl carbonate, wherein the second liquid dimethyl carbonate has a purity degree higher than 99.99% and a chlorine content lower than or equal to 1 ppm.

A process for producing a purified O-(2,6-dichloro-4-methylphenyl)-O,O-dimethyl phosphorothioate, the process comprising: the first step of bringing a crude O-(2,6-dichloro-4-methylphenyl)-O,O-dimethyl phosphorothioate into contact with an acid; andthe second step of recovering the purified O-(2,6-dichloro-4-methylphenyl)-O,O-dimethyl phosphorothioate from the mixture obtained in the first step.

A process is disclosed for producing tertiary alcohols by radical addition of secondary alcohols to alkenes. The reaction is carried out as a continuous process in the presence of an organic peroxide as a radical initiator and during a mean contact time of the reaction mixture of up to a maximum of 1 hour.

A reaction system suitable for production of a methionine salt contains a reactive rectification column containing a weir having a height of 100 mm or more.

A method of producing arginine bicarbonate is provided including reacting an arginine slurry with a source of carbon dioxide gas under elevated temperature and low pressure to form a solution of at least 50% arginine bicarbonate, and recovering arginine bicarbonate from the solution.

Methods of producing arginine bicarbonate solutions in very high concentrations including reacting an arginine slurry containing a first portion of arginine with a source of carbon dioxide gas at elevated pressure and temperature, adding subsequent portions of arginine to the resulting solution and further reacting with compressed carbon dioxide until a final solution containing in excess of 50% by weight are provided which include preparing an arginine solution by subjecting an arginine water slurry to elevated pressure and temperature and reacting the arginine solution with a source of carbon dioxide gas to form a solution comprising arginine and bicarbonate anion and recovering arginine bicarbonate from the solution.

Processes are disclosed for the conversion of 1,6-hexanediol to adipic acid employing a chemocatalytic reaction in which 1,6-hexanediol is reacted with oxygen in the presence of particular heterogeneous catalysts including at least one of platinum or gold. The metals are preferably provided on a support selected from the group of titania, stabilized titania, zirconia, stabilized zirconia, silica or mixtures thereof, most preferably zirconia stabilized with tungsten. The reaction with oxygen is carried out at a temperature from about 100° C. to about 300° C. and at a partial pressure of oxygen from about 50 psig to about 2000 psig.

The polycyclic organic compounds which are substantially transparent for an electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range, an anisotropic optical film comprising at least one polycyclic organic compound and a method of producing thereof are disclosed. The polycyclic organic compounds have a general formula (I) wherein A and B are acid groups, n is the number of phenyl rings in the range from 3 to 10; m is 0, 1, 2 or 3; l is 1, 2, or 3, p is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, C is a counterion from a list comprising H+, NH+4, Na+, K+, Li+, Cs+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, La3+, Zn2+, Zr4+, Ce3+, Y3+, Yb3+, Gd3+, and any combination thereof; k is the number of counterions necessary for compensation of the negative electric charge equal to (−p).

Various embodiments of the present invention generally disclose systems and processes for the conversion of a feed stream comprising at least one C8 aromatic into a product stream comprising isophthalic acid and purified terephthalic acid (IPA/TA).

The present invention provides a resin capable of contributing greatly to solve environmental problems and problems related to exhaustion of fossil fuel resources and having physical properties suited for practical use. The polyester according to the present invention has a diol and a dicarboxylic acid as constituent components and has an amount of terminal acid of 50 equivalents/metric ton or less.

A recombinant micro-organism producing resveratrol by a pathway in which phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) produces trans-cinnamic acid from phenylalanine, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H) produces 4-coumaric acid from said trans-cinnamic acid, 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL) produces 4-coumaroyl CoA from said 4-coumaric acid, and resveratrol synthase (VST) produces said resveratrol from said 4-coumaroyl CoA, or in which L-phenylalanine- or tyrosine-ammonia lyase (PAL/TAL) produces 4-coumaric acid, 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL) produces 4-coumaroyl CoA from said 4-coumaric acid, and resveratrol synthase (VST) produces said resveratrol from said 4-coumaroyl CoA. The micro-organism may be a yeast, fungus or bacterium including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, E. coli, Lactococcus lactis, Aspergillus niger, or Aspergillus oryzae.

An α-amylase from Bacillus subtilis (AmyE) produces significant amounts of glucose from various carbohydrate substrates, including vegetable starch, maltoheptaose, and maltotriose. Among other things, this advantageous property allows AmyE or variants thereof to be used in a saccharification reaction having a reduced or eliminated requirement for glucoamylase. The reduction or elimination of the glucoamylase requirement significantly improves the efficiency of the production of ethanol or high fructose corn syrup, for example.

The invention relates to the production of 2-octylacrylate of high purity and in good yield using ethyl titanate in solution in 2-octanol or 2-octyl titanate as a transesterification catalyst.

Isocyanates are produced in the gas phase and by-products such as ammonium halides are selectively separated from the gas phase by desublimation.

The present invention relates to a method for working up distillation, residues from isocyanate production in which monomeric isocyanate present in distillation residues is recovered by means of a spray-dry method and the overall yield of monomeric isocyanate is thus significantly increased.

The invention relates to a method for producing monocarboxy-functionalized dialkylphosphinic acids, esters, and salts, characterized in that a) a phosphinic acid source (I) is reacted with olefins (IV) in the presence of a catalyst A to obtain an alkylphosphonous acid, the salt or ester (II) thereof, and b) the obtained alkylphosphonous acid, the salt or ester (II) thereof is reacted with an oxidizing agent or with an oxidizing agent and water or with oxygen and water in the presence of a catalyst B to obtain the alkylphosphonic acid derivative (III), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 are identical or different from each other and independently represent, inter alia, H, C1-C18-alkyl, C6-C18-aryl, C6-C18-aralkyl, C6-C18-alkylaryl, X and Y are identical or different from each other and independently represent H, C1-C18-alkyl, C6-C18-aryl, C6-C18-aralkyl, C6-C18-alkylaryl, Mg, Ca, Al, Sb, Sn, Ge, Ti, Fe, Zr, Zn, Ce, Bi, Sr, Mn, Cu, Ni, Li, Na, K and/or a protonated nitrogenous base, and catalysts A and B are transition metals and/or transition metal compounds and/or catalyst systems composed of a transition metal and/or a transition metal compound and at least one ligand.

A process for producing a cyclic silane compound, in which a chained polysilane is subjected to pyrolysis in the presence of an oxide of a transition metal belonging to Group 8 or Group 11 of the periodic table; and a process for producing a cyclic carbosilane compound, that includes subjecting a chained polysilane to pyrolysis in the presence of a simple substance of a metal selected from the group consisting of transition metal elements and elements belonging to Groups 12 to 15 of the periodic table, or a compound thereof.

Steroid compounds having increased resistance against metabolism and increased water solubility are disclosed, together with methods for their production. These substances are suitable for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of steroid related or steroid induced CNS disorders and for use in methods of prevention, alleviation or treatment of such disorders.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I), hydrates or solvates thereof.

The invention relates to a method for producing a protective layer on a surface of a plant, to a protective layer for a surface of a plant, to a plant coated with said protective layer, to a composition for carrying out the method and for producing the protective layer, and to uses of said composition. According to the invention, a method is proposed, wherein at least one sol gel having nano-scale particles is formed by the hydrolysis of at least one precursor in water and at least one nano-scale layer of the sol gel is applied onto the surface of the plant. The protective layer according to the invention comprises a nano-scale SiO2 layer, and the composition according to the invention comprises at least one SiO2-producing substance.

Process for manufacturing a polymer by polycondensation of a hydroxy acid, said polymer comprising at least 80% by weight of units that correspond to the hydroxy acid, according to which at least one polyfunctional reactant capable of giving rise to the formation of a three-dimensional polymer network is mixed with the hydroxy acid, and according to which the mixture is subjected to temperature and pressure conditions and for a duration which are all suitable for giving rise to the formation of the network. Poly(hydroxy acid) (PHA) obtainable by such a process.

Provided is a pressure-sensitive adhesive for polarizing plates which can adhere a polarizing plate on a liquid crystal cell with good adhesion durability and has the characteristic that a liquid crystal display device obtained therefrom is less liable to cause light leakage even under the environment of high temperature and high humidity and which makes it possible remove the polarizing plate. The pressure-sensitive adhesive for polarizing plates is prepared by irradiating a pressure-sensitive adhesive material comprising (A) an acrylic base polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000,000 or more comprising a monomer having a hydroxyl group in a monomer composition ratio of 10 mass % or less, (B) an acrylic base polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000,000 or more comprising a monomer having a carboxyl group in a monomer composition ratio of 10 mass % or less and (C) an active energy beam-curable compound with an active energy beam, wherein a mass ratio of the component (A) to the component (B) is 100:1 to 100:50, and a storage elastic modulus (G') at 23° C. is 0.3 MPa or more.

The present invention relates to a polymerization-curable composition for the preparation of biodegradable, biocompatible, cross-linked polymers on the basis of polyvinyl alcohol comprising: 5 to 100% by weight of (a) vinyl ester monomer(s) of one of the general formulas (I) to (III): wherein X is oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, or phosphorus; n is 1 to 1000, at least 20% of the n being ≧2; the R1 are selected from hydrogen; straight, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, n-valent hydrocarbon groups having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, which optionally have heteroatoms and are optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from —OH, —COON, —CN, —CHO, and ═O, and n-valent radicals of biodegradable, biocompatible oligomers and polymers; m is an integer from 1 to 5; the R2 are selected from hydrogen, —OH, ═O, and the options listed for R1; and the R3 are selected from hydrogen, —OH, and the options listed for R1; 0 to 50% by weight of ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers; 0 to 10% by weight of (a) polymerization initiator(s); and 0 to 95% by weight of solvent(s).

A new process is provided for preparing nitrile rubbers by free-radical polymerization in an organic solvent and in the presence of specific modifier substances. This polymerization may be followed by hydrogenation to give likewise new hydrogenated nitrile rubbers, the hydrogenation advantageously taking place likewise in organic solvent. The optionally hydrogenated nitrile rubbers obtained are notable for having fragments of the employed modifier substances in the main polymer chain and/or as end groups. They can be prepared with a wide diversity of molecular weights and polydispersity indices, especially with very low polydispersity indices.

Disclosed is a humidity indicator which contains no heavy metal and has good visibility of a color change that occurs when the humidity is increased. The humidity indicator can be produced by applying an aqueous coating comprising a leuco dye, an acidic compound which is in a solid state at ambient temperature, a deliquescent substance and an aqueous resin emulsion onto a substrate such as a resin film, a nonwoven fabric or a paper, and heating and drying the resulting product.

A process for the production of methane comprising reacting at least part of a feed gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen in an internally cooled methanation reactor containing a nickel comprising methanation catalyst to produce a product gas containing methane, cooling the internally cooled methanation reactor with water, wherein the water enters the internally cooled methanation reactor at a temperature in the range from 20-120° C. below its boiling temperature.

A system for the production of conversion products from synthesis gas, the system including a mixing apparatus configured for mixing steam with at least one carbonaceous material to produce a reformer feedstock; a reformer configured to produce, from the reformer feedstock, a reformer product comprising synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the reformer feedstock; a synthesis gas conversion apparatus configured to catalytically convert at least a portion of the synthesis gas in the reformer product into synthesis gas conversion product and to separate from the synthesis gas conversion product a tailgas comprising at least one gas selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane; and one or more recycle lines fluidly connecting the synthesis gas conversion apparatus with the mixing apparatus, the reformer, or both.

A system and method for reducing the CO2 in a gaseous stream between 33% up to and even in excess of 90%, by reducing CO2. A gaseous stream that includes substantial amounts of CO2 is provided to a reaction chamber along with H2O (steam) and a carbon source such as charcoal, coke or other carbonaceous material. Carbon is provided to the chamber at a ratio (C/CO2) of between about 0.100 to 0.850, and between about 0.200 to 0.900 of H2O to the provided CO2. The CO2, H2O and carbon are heated to between about 1500° F. and about 3000° F. at about one atmosphere to produce syngas (i.e. carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2)) and reduces the amount of CO2. The Syngas may then be cleaned and provided to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactor or a Bio-catalytic synthesis reactor to produce a fuel, such as Methanol, Ethanol, Diesel and Jet Fuel.

A biomass gasification gas purification system includes a dust collector for removing dust in biomass gasification gas (containing tar components) acquired by gasifying biomass by a biomass gasification furnace, a desulfurizer for removing sulfur oxide components in the dust-removed biomass gasification gas, a pre-reforming reactor for reforming tar components in the desulfurized biomass gasification gas, a steam feed unit for feeding steam to an upstream side of the pre-reforming reactor, and a natural-gas feed unit for feeding natural gas on an upstream side of the desulfurizer.

Systems and methods are provided for enhancing the integration of processes for recovering products from algae-derived biomass. The enhanced process integration allows for increased use of input streams and other reagents that are derived from renewable sources. This increases the overall renewable character of the products extracted from the algae-derived biomass. The process integration can include exchange of input streams or energy between an algae processing system and a system for processing non-algal biomass. One example of improving process integration is using oxygenates that are generated in a renewable manner as a reagent for enhancing the algae processing system.

Iron/carbon (Fe/C) nanocomposite catalysts are prepared for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction. A preparation method includes steps of mixing iron hydrate salts and a mesoporous carbon support to form a mixture, infiltrating the iron hydrate salts into the carbon support through melt infiltration of the mixture near a melting point of the iron hydrate salts, forming iron-carbide particles infiltrated into the carbon support through calcination of the iron hydrate salts infiltrated into the carbon support under a first atmosphere, and vacuum-drying the iron-carbide particles after passivation using ethanol. Using such catalysts, liquid hydrocarbons are produced.

In a process for the production of substitute natural gas, a feed gas is provided to a first and/or second and/or subsequent bulk methanator. The feed gas is subjected to methanation in the presence of a suitable catalyst. An at least partially reacted stream from the first bulk methanator is removed and supplied to the second and/or subsequent bulk methanator where it is subjected to further methanation. A product stream from the final bulk methanator is passed to a trim methanator train where it is subjected to further methanation. A recycle stream is removed downstream of the first, second or subsequent bulk methanator, and, in any order, passed through a compressor, subjected to cooling and then supplied to a trim and/or recycle methanator for further methanation before being recycled to the first and/or second and/or subsequent methanator.

A process for producing hydrocarbons and, optionally, oxygenates of hydrocarbons is provided. A synthesis gas comprises hydrogen, carbon monoxide and N-containing contaminants selected from the group consisting of HCN, NH3, NO, RXNH3-X, R1—CN and heterocyclic compounds containing at least one nitrogen atom as a ring member of a heterocyclic ring of the heterocyclic compound. The N-containing contaminants constitute, in total, at least 100 vppb but less than 1 000 000 vppb of the synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is contacted at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure, with a particulate supported Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst. The catalyst comprises a catalyst support, Co in catalytically active form supported on the catalyst support, and a dopant selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), ruthenium (Ru) and/or rhenium (Re). The dopant level is expressed by a formula. Hydrocarbons and, optionally, oxygenates of hydrocarbons are obtained.

The present invention provides a process for producing a hydrocarbon oil by performing a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction using a reactor for a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis including a reaction apparatus having a slurry containing catalyst particles and a gaseous phase located above the slurry to obtain a hydrocarbon oil, wherein the Fischer-Tropsch reaction is performed while controlling a temperature of the slurry so that a difference T2−T1 between the average temperature T1 of the slurry and a temperature T2 at the liquid level of the slurry in contact with the gaseous phase is 5 to 30° C.

Catalyst compositions comprising molybdenum, sulfur and an alkali metal ion supported on a nanofibrous, mesoporous carbon molecular sieve are useful for converting syngas to higher alcohols. The compositions are produced via impregnation and may enhance selectivity to ethanol in particular.

A method and an apparatus is disclosed that uses a gas lift tubing arrangement to produce synthetic hydrocarbon related products. Using the Fischer Tropsch process as an example, the tubing is packed with a suitable catalyst and then hydrogen and carbon monoxide are injected into the top of the tubing in a fashion similar to a gas lift process. As the gases travel past the catalyst, synthetic hydrocarbons are formed and heat is rejected. The synthetic hydrocarbons and water flow out of the bottom of the tubing and travel up the annulus to the surface. In some embodiments, this process is carried out in a producing well or a in producing riser. In a producing well or a producing riser, the production from the well which flows up the annulus cools the synthetic hydrocarbon derived products. In additional and alternate embodiments, this process can be used in non-flowing wells.

A method and an apparatus is disclosed that uses a gas lift tubing arrangement to produce synthetic hydrocarbon related products. Using the Fischer Tropsch process as an example, the tubing is packed with a suitable catalyst and then hydrogen and carbon monoxide are injected into the top of the tubing in a fashion similar to a gas lift process. As the gases travel past the catalyst, synthetic hydrocarbons are formed and heat is rejected. The synthetic hydrocarbons and water flow out of the bottom of the tubing and travel up the annulus to the surface. In some embodiments, this process is carried out in a producing well or a in producing riser. In a producing well or a producing riser, the production from the well which flows up the annulus cools the synthetic hydrocarbon derived products. In additional and alternate embodiments, this process can be used in non-flowing wells.

A process for the synthesis of methanol, comprising the steps of reforming a hydrocarbon source obtaining a make-up gas feed (101), feeding said make up gas to a synthesis loop (L), converting said make up gas to methanol (108) in a substantially isothermal catalytic environment, wherein said catalytic environment comprises a plurality of isothermal catalytic beds (11, 12, 21) preferably arranged in series, and at least a portion of make-up gas (101) is mixed with recycle gas (112) from the loop (L), obtaining a gaseous mixture of fresh gas and recycle gas, and at least a portion of said gaseous mixture is directed between two consecutive catalytic beds acting as a quench gas. A related plant is also disclosed.

A production simulator (2), for simulating a mature hydrocarbon field, providing quantity produced (Qφktb) per phase, per well, per layer (or group of layers) and per time as a function of production parameters (PP), wherein the production simulator (2) matches history data (HD) of the mature hydrocarbon field and verifies a Vapnik condition.

A system and method is taught to substantially automate forecasting for a hydrocarbon producing reservoir through integration of modeling module workflows. A control management module automatically generates static and dynamic offspring models, with static and dynamic modeling software, until a performance objective associated with the forecasting of the reservoir is satisfied. The performance objective can include an experimental design table to determine a sensitivity of a particular parameter or can be directed towards reservoir optimization, i.e., ultimate hydrocarbon recovery, net present value, reservoir percentage yield, reservoir fluid flow rate, or history matching error.

A magnetized nut for fastening a compressor wheel of an exhaust turbocharger to a turbo shaft. The nut has a base body made of a non-magnetic material forming a hollow space for accommodating a magnetic material, and a method for the production of the magnetized nut. In order to provide a magnetized nut that is produced in a simple and cost-effective manner and ensures as equal a distribution of mass as possible with regard to the rotational axis of the nut, the magnetic material is introduced into the hollow space using injection molding.

A polishing pad, having a polishing layer comprising a thermoset polyurethane foam, wherein the polishing layer has an in-plane variation of 12 or less in microrubber A hardness, the variation being obtained by measuring the polishing layer from a polishing surface side of the layer, the thermoset polyurethane foam contains, as raw material components, an isocyanate component and active-hydrogen-containing compounds, and the active-hydrogen-containing compounds comprise a trifunctional polyol having at least one terminated hydroxyl group that is a secondary hydroxyl group, and having a hydroxyl group value of 150 to 1,000 mg KOH/g in an amount of 10 to 50 parts by weight for 100 parts by weight of the active-hydrogen-containing compounds.

A method for producing methanol from a synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon oxides with a high content of inert components includes passing the synthesis gas through a synthesis reactor so as to catalytically convert a part of the carbon oxides to methanol. The methanol is separated from the obtained mixture from the reactor. The mixture liberated from methanol is separated into a cycle stream and a purge stream. The cycle stream is recirculated so as to form a synthesis circle and combined with a fresh gas stream including hydrogen and carbon oxides before being charged into the synthesis reactor. The purge stream is supplied to a secondary reactor so as to catalytically convert a further part of the hydrogen and carbon oxides to methanol. Further methanol is separated the obtained mixture including synthesis gas, inert components and methanol vapor.

An apparatus for compensating for pixel distortion while reproducing hologram data includes an extraction unit, a determination and calculation unit, a table, and a compensation unit. The extraction unit extracts a reproduced data image from a reproduced image frame including the reproduced data image and borders. The determination and calculation unit determines position values of edges of the extracted reproduced data image, and calculates average magnification error values of pixels within line data from position values of start and end point pixels thereof, which are based on the determined position values of the edges. The table stores misalignment compensation values for the pixels within the line data, wherein the misalignment compensation values correspond to predetermined references for average magnification error values. The compensation unit compensates for pixel positions in the extracted reproduced data image using the misalignment compensation values that correspond to the calculated average magnification error values.

A component part has a catalyst surface. This surface has metallic components and components of MnO2 (13) in contact with the former. The metallic components are preferably formed of Ag and/or Ni. These material pairs achieve a great improvement in catalyst action compared to the pure metals. Especially in the case of use of Ni, which is toxicologically safe, these surfaces, for example, may also find use in ambient air purification for reduction of the ozone content. The surface can be applied, for example, by a coating of the component part, in which case the metallic component and the component of MnO2 are applied in two layers.

A fuel cell electrode that contains a support layer and a catalyst layer, wherein the catalyst layer does not contain a noble metal catalyst and is formed of carbon nanotubes, wherein the carbon nanotubes have pores in sidewalls thereof, and have a pore size distribution of 0.1 nm to 30 nm and a BET specific surface area of 100 to 4,000 m2/g, wherein the pores penetrate or do not penetrate the sidewalls.

The invention pertains to methods of producing artificial composite tissue constructs that permit coordinated motion. Biocompatable structural matrices having sufficient rigidity to provide structural support for cartilage-forming cells and bone-forming cells are used. Biocompatable flexible matrices seeded with muscle cells are joined to the structural matrices to produce artificial composite tissue constructs that are capable of coordinated motion.

Thermoplastic composition and articles containing UV absorbers that protect the articles contents from harmful UV radiation are disclosed as well as methods for making the thermoplastic articles and methods for using the articles to contain and protect materials sensitive to UV radiation. The UV absorbers contain oxazolone and/or azine functional groups that absorb UV radiation and prevent its transmission into the article. Many of the compounds are novel compositions of matter. The generally clear thermoplastic articles of this disclosure are particularly useful for containing a variety of UV sensitive consumer products that would otherwise have to be packaged in opaque containers.

The present invention provides a method for producing a sulfonate ester efficiently and in high yield. The present invention is an invention of a method for producing a sulfonate ester compound, which comprising reacting: (a) a compound having a sulfo group (—SO3H); and(b) a compound having a group represented by the general formula [1]: —OR1 [1] [wherein, R1 represents a sulfonyl group represented by the general formula [2]: —SO2—R2 [2] (wherein, R2 represents a halogen atom, a haloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, or an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group) or an acyl group represented by the general formula [3]: (wherein, R3 represents an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group)]; in the presence of an organic base which is capable of forming a salt with said sulfo group.