578.    CLARK, W.  New Synthetic Alcohol From Gasoline Is Developed for Plastics Industry.  World Petrol., vol. 20, 1949, pp. 44-45.

      Development of the process announced by Esso Standard Oil Co. is reviewed.  Iso-octyl alcohol is produced by the Oxo process, in which heptene from the polymerization of unsaturated cracker-gas reacts with CO-H₂ to form octanol.  Hydrogenation of the latter at 3,000 p.s.i. gives principally C₄-C₆ straight-chain alcohols with appropriate side chains.  The octyl alcohols are in demand for the manufacture of plasticizers, particularly polyvinyl chloride.