Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Method for production of aldehydes
 An ether of the following formula (2): ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.a is a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group, R.sub.b is a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or a substituted oxy group, and R.sup.c is a hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group; R.sup.a and R.sup.c may be combined to form a ring with the adjacent carbon atom and oxygen atom) is reacted with nitrogen monoxide in the presence of a catalyst composed of an imide compound of the following formula (1): ##STR2## (wherein each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is, identical to or different from each other, a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, a cycloalkyl group, a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, a carboxyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, or an acyl group; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may be combined to form a double bond, or an aromatic or nonaromatic ring; X is an oxygen atom or a hydroxyl group; and one or two N-substituted cyclic imido groups indicated in the formula (1) may further be formed on R.sup.1, R.sup.2, or on the double bond or aromatic or nonaromatic ring formed together by R.sup.1 and R.sup.2) to give an aldehyde of the following formula (3): EQU R.sup.a --CHO (3) (wherein R.sup.a has the same meaning as defined above). 
Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.
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Tatsuya Yasutaka
Nakano Ishii