Abstract: The invention relates to an elongate surgical repair product comprising a cable of which bending stiffness can be lowered, which fibrous member is a heat-set cable comprising at least 50 mass % of high-performance polyethylene yarn. The product shows very high tenacity, combined with a relatively high initial bending stiffness that is significantly reduced upon bending or flexing the member, without significant dimensional change; and allows both easy and well-controlled handling and good knot tying characteristics. The invention also relates to a method of making said elongate product.

Abstract: Dental floss products are provided which include a unitary tape of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 5 dl/g, as measured in decalin at 135° C., the tape having a thickness of about 0.02-0.1 mm and a width of about 0.25-6 mm, and a tensile strength of at least 1.8 GPa. The dental floss products have very high mechanical, especially tensile strength, and show high resistance to tearing and has a low coefficient of friction. The tape can be inserted between teeth tightly together without breaking. A further advantage of the dental tape products is that most of the initial strength during flossing is retained, even if the tape separates into filaments. Processes for making a unitary tape suitable for use in a dental floss product are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an elongate surgical repair product comprising a cable of which bending stiffness can be lowered, which fibrous member is a heat-set cable comprising at least 50 mass % of high-performance polyethylene yarn. The product shows very high tenacity, combined with a relatively high initial bending stiffness that is significantly reduced upon bending or flexing the member, without significant dimensional change; and allows both easy and well-controlled handling and good knot tying characteristics. The invention also relates to a method of making said clongate product.

Abstract: The application relates to a process for manufacturing a prosthetic joint with at least one loaded surface which consists at least partially of polyethylene, comprising compressing one or more layers of a woven fabric of drawn gel-spun polyethylene fibres into the desired shape in a hollow mould part using a plug at a pressure of at least 0.05 MPa and at a temperature of between 120 and 165° C. and below the crystalline melting point of the polyethylene at the prevailing temperature and pressure, without a matrix material being present, and at least the woven fabric in a layer situated on a loaded surface comprising at least 90 wt % of fibres with a titre of at most 1000 denier, and to a prosthetic joint with a crease-free surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dental floss product comprising a unitary tape of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 5 dl/g, as measured in decalin at 135?C, the tape having a thickness of about 0.02-0.1 mm and a width of about 0.25-6 mm, and a tensile strength of at least 1.8 GPa. The dental floss product has very high mechanical, especially tensile strength, shows high resistance to tearing and has a low coefficient of friction. The tape can be inserted between teeth tightly together without breaking. A further advantage of the dental tape is that it retains most of its initial strength during flossing, even if the tape separates into filaments. The invention further relates to a process of making a unitary tape suitable for use in a dental floss product.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of neotame by successively

Abstract: A hydroformylation process for preparating a terminal aldehyde involves reacting an ethylenically unsaturated organic compound with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst system iridium or rhodium and a bidentate organic phosphite ligand wherein the two phosphorus atoms of the phopshite ligand are linked with a 2,2'-dihydroxyl-1,1'-binapthalene bridging group having the following structure (Q): ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are substituents other than hydrogen and in which R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same or different substituted monovalent aryl groups and/or any one of OR.sup.3 and OR.sup.4 connected to one phosphorus atom forms an --O--R.sup.5 --O-group, where R.sup.5 is a divalent organic group containing one or two aryl groups.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of a heterocyclic o-dicarboxylic acid containing at least one N atom, in which a corresponding benzo-fused heterocyclic compound containing at least one N atom is oxidised in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, a Bronsted acid and an iron compound.Preferably Fe(NO.sub.3).sub.3 is used as the iron compound and HNO.sub.3 as the Bronsted acid. The amount of iron compound to be used preferably lies between 0.1 and 2 mol. %, relative to the amount of employed benzo-fused heterocyclic compound containing at least one N atom. Even higher yields can be obtained if a copper compound or an organic electron-transferring compound is also used, in addition to the iron compound.In particular, the process according to the invention can be used to prepare 2,3-pyridine dicarboxylic acids from corresponding quinoline compounds.

Abstract: A hydroformylation catalyst composition comprising iridium or rhodium and a bidentate organic phosphite ligand wherein the two phosphorus atoms of the phopshite ligand are linked with a 2,2'-dihydroxyl-1,1'-binapthalene bridging group having the following structure (Q): ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are substituents other than hydrogen.

Abstract: A process to prepare a multidentate phosphite compound according to the general formula (1) ##STR1## in which n is 2-6, R is an n-valent organic group and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are fused aromatic ring systems with 2 or more rings, which rings are substituted on the ortho position relative to the oxygen atom only with hydrogen, by first preparing a phosphorochloridite compound from a R.sup.1 --OH and R.sup.2 --OH alcohol compound and a phosphorus chloride compound and subsequently contacting the phosphorochloridite compound with an alcoholic compound according to R--(OH).sub.n, wherein the phosphorochloridite is prepared by performing the two steps in a solvent:a) contacting a compound with the general formula: ##STR2## in which R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl groups, with the R.sup.1 OH and R.sup.2 OH compounds, andb) contacting the resulting compound of step (a) which has the formula (3): ##STR3## with HY, wherein Y is a halogen.