Abstract: This invention relates to a novel process for the synthesis of R-biphenylalaninol and to intermediate compounds that are formed in the process according to the invention, i.e. novel intermediates useful in the synthesis of R-biphenylalaninol. The in vention also relates to R-biphenylalaninol, The process according to the invention, the intermediates to of R-biphenylalaninol and of R-biphenylalaninol are all useful in the synthesis of pharmaceutically active compounds.

Abstract: A process for producing a reaction product of a diazo compound, which process comprises: a. continuously supplying to a first reactor a precursor of a diazo compound; a water-miscible solvent; a base and water; b. mixing the precursor of a diazo compound; the water-miscible solvent; the base and water to generate a diazo compound; c. continuously removing from the first reactor, through a hydrophobic membrane, into a second reactor the formed diazo compound; d. continuously removing from the first reactor all reaction products that have not passed into the second reactor; e. continuously supplying to the second reactor a substrate in a non-water-miscible solvent; f. mixing the above components to generate a reaction product of a diazo compound; and g. continuously removing from the second reactor the non-water-miscible solvent and the reaction product of the diazo compound, and apparatus suitable for carrying out such a process.

Abstract: Polypeptide and recombinant protein having esterase activity which exhibit the amino acid sequence SEQ. ID. No. 1 and the use thereof.

Abstract: Improved process for working up diacetone acrylamide solutions, obtained by reaction of acetone or diacetone alcohol with acrylonitrile and sulfuric acid and subsequent dilution and neutralization, in which a) the organic phase obtained subsequent to the neutralization, which comprises the crude diacetone acrylamide, is hydrolyzed by addition of an aqueous alkaline solution in order to remove acrylamide, then b) after phase separation has been carried out, the organic phase, which comprises the crude diacetone acrylamide, is neutralized by addition of an acid, and c) in succession, low-boiling-point byproducts are removed by distillation in the presence of one or more polymerization inhibitors, then t-butylacrylamide is removed by distillation and, finally, the diacetone acrylamide is isolated by product distillation, and d) the diacetone acrylamide thus obtained is converted into its final form.

Abstract: A process for the continuous production of a compound of Formula (II), HO—R1—ONO2 (II) wherein R1 is a straight chain alkyl radical having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, in a two-phase solvent system, comprising contacting a compound of Formula (I), HO—R1—OH (I) wherein R1 is as defined above, with nitric acid in the presence of a first solvent, wherein the compound of Formula (II) is continuously extracted into a second solvent, and the reaction is carried out in a mixing microreactor which provides a power loss of at least 1.3 times the power loss provided under identical conditions by a circular cross-section straight-channel microreactor having an internal diameter equal to the average hydraulic diameter of the mixing microreactor and a length equal to the length of the mixing microreactor.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a cyclopropane derivative of Formula (I), by reacting an olefin of Formula (II), with a carbene of the formula:CR1R2, in a reaction vessel, optionally in the presence of a solvent, wherein, R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, —C(O)R7 or —NR82; R3, R4, R5 and R6 are each independently hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C2-C6 alkenyl, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, —C(O)R9, —NR102, —SR11, —S(O)R11, or —SO2R11, or R3 and R6 are as defined above and R4 and R5 together form a ring, which ring is carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, aromatic or heteroaromatic; R7 is hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl or —NR102; R8 is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocyclyl or heterocyclyl; R9 is hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy or heteroaryl; R10 is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, a

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of polymers and to an apparatus for performing this process. The apparatus comprises devices and reactors that are combined in the sequence of first a mixing device, second a flow microwave and optionally third one or more additional reactors.

Abstract: Polypeptide and recombinant protein having esterase activity which exhibit the amino acid sequence SEQ. ID. No. 1 and the use thereof.

Abstract: A tube bundle falling film microreactor for performing gas-liquid reactions, which has: a) at least one vertical tube with b) a device for distributing the liquid on the inside of the tube and c) a liquid collecting system, and d) a device for gas supply and removal, and use thereof.

Abstract: Method of resolving stereoselectively racemic 2-alkyl-5-halopent-4-ene-carboxylic esters of the formula (I) in which R is a C1-C6-alkyl radical, R1 is C1-C4-alkyl and X is chlorine, bromine or iodine, by contacting a racemic ester of formula (I) with a polypeptide or recombinant protein having esterase activity and exhibiting an amino acid sequence that is at least 98% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ. ID. No. 1.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel alpha-substituted ?,?-unsaturated E- or Z-aldehydes, or isomer mixture thereof, of the formula (I) in which R1 and R2 may be identical or different and are each H or a hydrocarbon, in which the hydrocarbon may have one or more heteroatoms and R3 and R4 may be identical or different and are each a hydrocarbon, in which the hydrocarbon may have one or more heteroatoms, and R5 may be identical or different and is H or a hydrocarbon, in which the hydrocarbon may have one or more heteroatoms, to the use thereof, and to processes for their preparation. The invention further relates to the preparation of further intermediates for pharmaceuticals and to the preparation of the pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: Improved process for preparing high-purity, halogen-free o-phthalaldehyde, in which a) tetrahalo-o-xylene is hydrolyzed at a temperature of 155-160° C. and a pressure of from 2 to 5 bar, where appropriate in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst, to o-phthalaldehyde, which b) is converted in an acidic alcoholic solution at a temperature of from 0 to the reflux temperature into the corresponding dialkoxyphthalane and, subsequently, c) an acetal cleavage is effected by acid hydrolysis at a pH >1.5 to pH 7, resulting in high-purity, halogen-free o-phthalaldehyde.

Abstract: The invention relates to R-hydroxynitrillyases from the family of Rosaceae that are characterized by an improved substrate tolerance and increased stability. In the active center of the R-hydroxynitrillyases either a) an alanine group is substituted by glycine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, or phenylalanine or b) a phenylalanine group is substituted by alanine, glycine valine, leucine or isoleucine, or c) a leucine group is substituted by alanine, glycine, valine, isoleucine or phenylalanine, or d) an isoleucine group is substituted by alanine, glycine, valine, leucine or phenylalanine. The invention also relates to the use of these lyases in the production of enantiomer-pure R- or S-cyanohydrines.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for defined comminution of polymer gels, wherein the apparatus includes a static cutting element in the form of a cutting screen. The cutting element is optionally supported, and has pretensioned wires, rods, fibers, wovens, stencils or profiles. Optionally, a dynamic cutting element is provided for shortening the gel strands or particles obtained by means of the static cutting unit. Also, a feed unit is provided for feeding the polymer gel to the static cutting element in a clamped-in, shape-stable state. The feeding of the gel is effected batchwise or continuously.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for defined comminution of polymer gels, wherein the apparatus includes a static cutting element in the form of a cutting screen. The cutting element is optionally supported, and has pretensioned wires, rods, fibers, wovens, stencils or profiles. Optionally, a dynamic cutting element is provided for shortening the gel strands or particles obtained by means of the static cutting unit. Also, a feed unit is provided for feeding the polymer gel to the static cutting element in a clamped-in, shape-stable state. The feeding of the gel is effected batchwise or continuously.

Abstract: A process for preparing racemic alkyl-5-halopent-4-enecarboxylic acids and esters thereof of the formula (I), in which R is a C1-C6-alkyl radical, R1 is H or C1-4-alkyl and X is chlorine, bromine or iodine, which comprises a) reacting a dialkyl alkylmalonate of the formula (II),in which R is as defined above and R2 is a C1-C4-alkyl radical, in the presence of a metal alkoxide of the formula MOR3, in which M may be Na, K or Li, and R3 is a C1-C4-alkyl radical, and in an organic solvent, with 1,3-dihalopropene to give the corresponding allylated malonate, then b) after full conversion, adding an inorganic salt and a C1-C6 alcohol to the reaction mixture, heating the reaction mixture to reflux temperature, then c) isolating the desired racemic ester of the formula (I) from the reaction mixture by extraction or direct distillation and d) if the racemic acid is the desired end product, hydrolyzing the ester function.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing chiral ?-hydroxycarboxylic crystalline acids consisting in transforming cyanhydrins (R) or (S) into ?-hydroxycarboxylic acids (R) or (S), respectively by enzymatic hydrolysis in the presence of Rhodococcus erythropolis NCIMB 11540.

Abstract: A process for transition metal-catalyzed, asymmetric hydrogenation of acrylic acid derivatives of the formula (I) in which R1 is H or an optionally substituted alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl radical, R2 is an optionally substituted alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl radical, and R3 is H or a C1-C6-alkyl radical, which comprises hydrogenating compounds of the formula (I), optionally in a solvent, in the presence of one or more hydrogen donors, using a catalyst system which comprises a transition metal from the group of ruthenium, rhodium and iridium and a combination of a chiral phosphorus ligand of the formula (II) in which Cn, together with the two oxygen atoms and the phosphorus atom, forms an optionally substituted ring having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms and R4 is an optionally substituted alkyl, aryl, alkoxy or aryloxy radical or NR5R6 where R5 and R6 may each independently be H or an optionally substituted alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or alkaryl radical, or, together with the nitrogen atom, may form a ring, and an achiral phosph

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing chiral ?-hydroxycarboxylic crystalline acids consisting in transforming cyanhydrins (R) or (S) into ?-hydroxycarboxylic acids (R) or (S), respectively by enzymatic hydrolysis in the presence of Rhodococcus erythropolis NCIMB 11540.

Abstract: A process for preparing racemic alkyl-5-halopent-4-enecarboxylic acids and esters thereof of the formula (I), in which R is a C1-C6-alkyl radical, R1 is H or C1-4-alkyl and X is chlorine, bromine or iodine, which comprises a) reacting a dialkyl alkylmalonate of the formula (II),in which R is as defined above and R2 is a C1-C4-alkyl radical, in the presence of a metal alkoxide of the formula MOR3, in which M may be Na, K or Li, and R3 is a C1-C4-alkyl radical, and in an organic solvent, with 1,3-dihalopropene to give the corresponding allylated malonate, then b) after full conversion, adding an inorganic salt and a C1-C6 alcohol to the reaction mixture, heating the reaction mixture to reflux temperature, then c) isolating the desired racemic ester of the formula (I) from the reaction mixture by extraction or direct distillation and d) if the racemic acid is the desired end product, hydrolyzing the ester function.