The second edition (1st edition in two parts in 1973 and 1975) is supplemented by a description of new methods for producing organic products from petrochemical raw materials. Chemistry and technology of obtaining initial hydrocarbons for petrochemical syntheses and the most important monomers for synthetic materials are considered. The invention describes production of oxygen-containing compounds, halogen and nitro derivatives, as well as synthetic detergents, rubbers, plastic masses and fibres.