Abstract: A process is provided for reducing the content of a monounsaturated aliphatic amine (III) in a mixture (IV) containing an aminonitrile (I) or a diamine (II), or mixtures thereof, and the amine (III), wherein a) the mixture (IV) is reacted with an anionic nucleophile (V),  which contains a nucleophilic atom selected from the group comprising oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur,  which is capable of taking up an H+ ion to form an acid with a pKa ranging from 7 to 11, measured in water at 25° C., and  which has a relative nucleophilicity, measured in methyl perchlorate/methanol at 25° C.,  ranging from 3.4 to 4.7 when oxygen is the nucleophilic atom,  ranging from 4.5 to 5.8 when nitrogen is the nucleophilic atom, and  ranging from 5.5 to 6.8 when sulfur is the nucleophilic atom,  in an amount ranging from 0.

Abstract: Higher &agr;,&bgr;-unsaturated alcohols are prepared by monoethynylation of a ketone by the NH3/KOH method, if desired hydrogenation of the acetylene alcohol in the presence of hydrogen over a Pd-containing thin layer catalyst, purifying distillation of the hydrogenation product, preferably in a dividing wall column with recirculation of the unreacted ketone to the ethynylation step, and, if desired, preparation of higher alcohols having in each case 5 more carbon atoms in the chain by reacting the alcohols prepared by monoethynylation and, if desired, partial hydrogenation with alkyl acetoacetates diketene in a Carroll reaction to form ketones and using these as starting materials for the steps ethynylation, optional hydrogenation and fractional distillation.

Abstract: Passivated iron useful as catalytically active component after activation is activated by hydrogen at elevated temperature and elevated pressure in the presence of a nitrile.

Abstract: A material useful as catalyst for the hydrogenation of alpha, omega-dinitriles comprises

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing primary amines by hydrogenating nitrites in the presence of a catalyst comprising cobalt and optionally, in addition, nickel and also at least one further doping metal on a particulate support material, the cobalt and, if present, the nickel having an average particle size of from 3 to 30 nm in the active catalyst. The invention further relates to the use of the catalyst in a process for preparing primary amines by hydrogenating nitrites.

Abstract: A process is provided for reducing the content of a monounsaturated aliphatic amine (III) in a mixture (IV) containing an aminonitrile (I) or a diamine (II), or mixtures thereof, and the amine (III), wherein

Abstract: A process is provided for the preparation of cyclic lactams of formula (II): in which n and m can each have the values 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and the sum of n+m is at least 3, preferably at least 4, and R1 and R2 are C1-C6-alkyl, C5-C7-cycloalkyl or C6-C12-aryl groups, by reacting a compound (I) of the formula in which R1, R2, m and n are as defined above and R are [sic] nitrile, carboxamide and carboxylic acid groups, with steam in the gas phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing cyclic lactams of formula (II) by reacting a compound (I) of formula (I) with water in the presence of an organic, liquid dilution agent in the liquid phase. In formula (II), n and m respectively can have the values 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and the sum of n+m is at least 3, preferably at least 4 and R1 and R2 represent C1-C6 alkyl, C5-C7 cycloalkyl or C6-C12 aryl groups. In formula (I), R1, R2, m and n are defined as above and R represents nitrile, carboxylic acid amide and carboxylic acid groups. The inventive method is characterized in that a) compound (I) is reacted with water in the liquid phase in the presence of an organic, liquid dilution agent (III) to form a mixture (IV) containing a lactam (II) and said mixture (IV) is subjected to an aqueous treatment to obtain a two-phase system.

Abstract: A process is provided for the preparation of caprolactam from a compound of formula (I): NC—(CH2)5—CO—R  (I) in which R is a carboxamide, carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid ester group, wherein a) a compound (I) or a mixture of such compounds, in the presence of ammonia and optionally a liquid diluent (VI), is hydrogenated with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst (II) to give a mixture (III), b) the hydrogen and the catalyst (II) are separated from the mixture (III) to give a mixture (IV), and c) the mixture (IV), optionally in the presence of a liquid diluent (VII), is converted to caprolactam in the presence of a catalyst (V).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing, by distillation, 6-aminocapronitrile from mixtures that contain 6-aminocapronitrile, adipodinitrile and hexamethylenediamine, by a) removing the hexamethylenediamine from the mixture while obtaining a mixture (I) that has a hexamethylenediamine content of less than 1 wt.-%, b) removing completely or partially the 6-aminocapronitrile from mixture (I) while obtaining a mixture (II) whose content in substances that have a higher boiling point as 6-aminocapronitrile under distillation conditions and that cannot be formed by dimerization reactions when 6-aminocapronitrile is thermally treated is less than 1 wt.-%, and c) completely or partially removing from mixture (II) the hexamethylenediamine that might be present while obtaining a mixture (IV) whose hexamethylenediamine content is higher than that of mixture (II), and a mixture (V) whose hexamethylenediamine content is lower than that of mixture (II).

Abstract: Nitriles are hydrogenated to primary amines over an activated, alpha-Al2O3-containing, macroporous Raney catalyst based on an alloy of aluminum and at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt and nickel, and, if desired, one or more further transition metals selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, chromium and manganese, which is obtainable by a process comprising the steps in the order (a)-(f): (a) preparing a kneadable composition comprising the alloy, a shaping aid, water and a pore former; (b) shaping the kneadable composition to form a shaped body; (c) calcining the shaped body; (d) activating the calcined shaped body by treatment with aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution; (e) rinsing the shaped catalyst body with aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution; (f) rinsing the shaped catalyst body with water.

Abstract: A process is provided for the regeneration of a heterogeneous catalyst used for the preparation of compounds containing NH2 groups by the hydrogenation, with hydrogen, of compounds containing at least one unsaturated carbon-nitrogen bond, wherein

Abstract: A process is provided for the preparation of caprolactam from a compound of formula (I):

Abstract: A process for preparing a polymer, which comprises

Abstract: A process for distillative removal of ammonia from solutions (I) which include a lactam and ammonia comprises effecting said removal in a distillation apparatus (a) at an absolute pressure of less than 10 bar.

Abstract: A process is provided for the preparation of cyclic lactams of formula (II): 1

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing primary amines by hydrogenating nitrites in the presence of a catalyst comprising cobalt and optionally, in addition, nickel and also at least one further doping metal on a particulate support material, the cobalt and, if present, the nickel having an average particle size of from 3 to 30 nm in the active catalyst. The invention further relates to the use of the catalyst in a process for preparing primary amines by hydrogenating nitrites.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing cyclic lactams of formula (II) by reacting a compound (I) of formula (I) with water in the presence of an organic, liquid dilution agent in the liquid phase. In formula (II), n and m respectively can have the values 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and the sum of n+m is at least 3, preferably at least 4 and R1 and R2 represent C1-C6 alkyl, C5-C7 cycloalkyl or C6-C12 aryl groups. In formula (I), R1, R2, m and n are defined as above and R represents nitrile, carboxylic acid amide and carboxylic acid groups. The inventive method is characterized in that a) compound (I) is reacted with water in the liquid phase in the presence of an organic, liquid dilution agent (III) to form a mixture (IV) containing a lactam (II) and said mixture (IV) is subjected to an aqueous treatment to obtain a two-phase system.

Abstract: In a coated catalyst having a core and at least one shell surrounding the core, the core is made up of an inert support material, the shell or shells is/are made up of a porous support substance, with the shell being attached physically to the core, and a catalytically active metal selected from the group consisting of the metals of the 10th and 11th groups of the Periodic Table of the Elements is present in finely divided form or a precursor of the catalytically active metal is present in uniformly distributed form in the shell or shells.

Abstract: A catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of alkynes and dienes in C2-C5+-olefin mixtures is described.