Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing aminoalkanamides by reacting cyanoalkanoic esters with a) ammonia or an amine and b) hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, the reaction with component b) being started simultaneously or not later than a maximum of 100 minutes after commencement of the reaction of the cyanoalkanoic ester with component a).

Abstract: Continuous processes comprising: oxidizing a ketone with a solution comprising active oxygen in a reactor in the presence of a buffer substance and a stripping gas to form a gas stream comprising a dioxirane and a liquid stream; and continuously drawing the gas stream comprising the dioxirane and the liquid stream from the reactor; wherein a liquid phase residence time of 1 minute to 4 hours and a normalized condensate mass flow rate of at least 500 g/mol of active oxygen are maintained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a hydrogenation of a starting material in a hydrogenation reactor, in which the amount of hydrogen reacted in the hydrogenation is firstly determined, the ratio of the amount of hydrogen reacted to the amount of starting material fed in is then derived, this ratio is compared with a prescribed value and, finally, at least one process parameter is altered if the ratio of the amount of hydrogen reacted to the amount of starting material fed in deviates by a prescribed amount from the prescribed value.

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active 2-methylalkan-1-ol of the general formula (III) comprising the following steps: (i) carbonyl-selective reduction of 2-methylalk-2-en-1-al of the general formula (I) to 2-methylalk-2-en-1-ol of the general formula (II), (ii) enantioselective hydrogenation of 2-methylalk-2-en-1-ol to the general formula (iii), (iii) increasing the optical yield of the optically active 2-methylalkan-1-ol (III) obtained in step (ii) by a lipase-catalyzed acylation reaction, where the radical R means C1-C10-alkyl.

Abstract: A catalyst for the hydrogenation of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, preferably maleic anhydride, in the gas phase comprises a) 20-94% by weight of copper oxide (CuO), preferably 40-92% by weight of CuO, in particular 60-90% by weight of CuO, and b) 0.005-5% by weight, preferably 0.01-3% by weight, in particular 0.05-2% by weight, palladium and/or a palladium compound (calculated as metallic palladium) and c) 2-79.995% by weight, preferably 5-59.99% by weight, in particular 8-39.95% by weight, of an oxidic support selected from the group consisting of the oxides of Al, Si, Zn, La, Ce, the elements of groups IIIA to VIIIA and of groups IA and IIA of the Periodic Table of the Elements.

Abstract: A catalyst for the hydrogenation of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, preferably maleic anhydride, in the gas phase comprises a) 20-94% by weight of copper oxide (CuO), preferably 40-92% by weight of CuO, in particular 60-90% by weight of CuO, and b) 0.005-5% by weight, preferably 0.01-3% by weight, in particular 0.05-2% by weight, palladium and/or a palladium compound (calculated as metallic palladium) and c) 2-79.995% by weight, preferably 5-59.99% by weight, in particular 8-39.95% by weight, of an oxidic support selected from the group consisting of the oxides of Al, Si, Zn, La, Ce, the elements of groups IIIA to VIIIA and of groups IA and IIA of the Periodic Table of the Elements.

Abstract: Optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol is prepared from C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or of derivatives thereof by: a) a gas stream of the C4-dicarboxylic acid or the derivative thereof in a first reactor in the gas phase to obtain a product which contains mainly optionally alkyl-substituted ?-butyro-lactone; b) removing succinic anhydride from the product of step a); c) catalytically hydrogenating the product of step b) in a second reactor in the gas phase to obtain optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol; d) removing the desired product from intermediates, by-products and any unconverted reactants; and e) optionally recycling unconverted intermediates into one or both hydrogenation stages. The catalysts employed in each of the hydrogenation stages comprise ?95% by weight of CuO, and ?5% by weight of an oxidic support, and the second reactor has a higher pressure than the first reactor.

Abstract: A process is proposed for distillatively working up an aqueous composition which comprises 1,1,2.2-tetramethoxyethane, glyoxal dimethyl acetal and methanol, wherein the workup of this composition is carried out in a dividing wall column to form low boiler, medium boiler and/or high boiler fractions, and a dividing wall is disposed in the longitudinal direction in the dividing wall column to form an upper common column region, a lower common column region, a feed section having rectifying section and stripping section and a withdrawal section having stripping section and rectifying section, and the aqueous composition is fed into the middle region of the feed section.

Abstract: A multi-zone jacketed pipe reactor (2; 60; 90; 130) for carrying out exothermic gaseous phase reactions and with at least one reaction zone (I) working with vaporisation cooling, at least one reaction zone (II) working with circulation cooling and, possibly, with additional zones (III, IV) is characterised in that one reaction zone (I) working with vaporisation cooling forms the first reaction zone to which is connected an additional reaction zone (II) working with circulation cooling. In this way there occurs at the beginning of the reaction, when the latter is most violent, very intensive cooling at a precisely controllable temperature and especially as well a temperature that is constant across the entire cross-section of the reactor while subsequently in a subsequent reaction zone working with circulating cooling by means of global counter-flow guidance of the heat transfer agent a constant cooling of the reaction gas is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol by two-stage catalytic hydrogenation in the gas phase of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or of derivatives thereof having the following steps: a) introducing a gas stream of a C4-dicarboxylic acid or of a derivative thereof at from 200 to 300° C. and from 2 to 60 bar into a first reactor and catalytically hydrogenating it to a product which contains mainly optionally alkyl-substituted ?-butyrolactone; b) converting the product stream into the liquid phase; c) introducing the product stream obtained in this way into a second reactor at a temperature of from 100° C. to 240° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol by two-stage catalytic hydrogenation in the gas phase of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or of derivatives thereof having the following steps: a) introducing a gas stream of a C4-dicarboxylic acid or of a derivative thereof at from 200 to 300° C. and from 10 to 100 bar into a first reactor or into a first reaction zone of a reactor and catalytically hydrogenating it in the gas phase to a product which contains mainly optionally alkyl-substituted ?-butyrolactone; b) introducing the product stream obtained in this way into a second reactor or into a second reaction zone of a reactor at a temperature of from 140° C. to 260° C.

Abstract: A process is proposed for distillatively working up an aqueous composition which comprises 1,1,2,2-tetramethoxyethane, glyoxal dimethyl acetal and methanol, wherein the workup of this composition is carried out in a dividing wall column to form low boiler, medium boiler and/or high boiler fractions, and a dividing wall is disposed in the longitudinal direction in the dividing wall column to form an upper common column region, a lower common column region, a feed section having rectifying section and stripping section and a withdrawal section having stripping section and rectifying section, and the aqueous composition is fed into the middle region of the feed section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol by two-stage catalytic hydrogenation in the gas phase of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or of derivatives thereof having the following steps: a) introducing a gas stream of a C4-dicarboxylic acid or of a derivative thereof at from 200 to 300° C. and from 2 to 60 bar into a first reactor and catalytically hydrogenating it in the gas phase to a product which contains mainly optionally alkyl-substituted ?-butyrolactone; b) removing succinic anhydride from the product obtained in step a), preferably to a residual level of from <about 0.3 to 0.2% by weight; c) introducing the product stream obtained in step b) into a second reactor at a temperature of from 150° C. to 240° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst containing from 0.1 to 20 mass % rhenium and 0.05 to 10 mass % platinum in relation to the total mass thereof. The inventive method for producing a support for said catalyst consists in a) treating a support which can be eventually pre-treated with the aid of a solution of rhenium compound, b) drying and annealing said support at a temperature ranging from 80 to 600° C., and c) impregnating the support with a solution of platinum compound and in drying it. The inventive method for producing alcohol by catalytic hydrogenation of carbonyl compound on said catalyst is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol by two-stage catalytic hydrogenation in the gas phase of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or of derivatives thereof having the following steps: a) introducing a gas stream of a C4-dicarboxylic acid or of a derivative thereof at from 200 to 300° C. and from 2 to 60 bar into a first reactor and catalytically hydrogenating it to a product which contains mainly optionally alkyl-substituted 7-butyrolactone; b) converting the product stream into the liquid phase; c) introducing the product stream obtained in this way into a second reactor at a temperature of from 100° C. to 240° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing unsubstituted or C1-C4-alkyl-substituted gamma-butyrolactone by catalytic hydrogenation of maleic acid and/or its derivatives in the presence of chromium-free catalyst comprising from 10 to 80% by weight of copper oxide and from 10 to 90% by weight of at least one catalyst support selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, hafnium dioxide, magnesium silicate, activated carbon, silicon carbide, zirconium dioxide and alpha-aluminum oxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol by two-stage catalytic hydrogenation in the gas phase of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or of derivatives thereof having the following steps: a) introducing a gas stream of a C4-dicarboxylic acid or of a derivative thereof at from 200 to 300° C. and from 10 to 100 bar into a first reactor or into a first reaction zone of a reactor and catalytically hydrogenating it in the gas phase to a product which contains mainly optionally alkyl-substituted y-butyrolactone; b) introducing the product stream obtained in this way into a second reactor or into a second reaction zone of a reactor at a temperature of from 140° C to 260° C.

Abstract: A catalyst for the hydrogenation of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, preferably maleic anhydride, in the gas phase comprises

Abstract: A process is described for preparing diacetals of glyoxal by reacting from 40 to 75% by weight aqueous glyoxal with monohydric alcohols in the presence of an acid catalyst, which comprises leaving a liquid mixture which, at the beginning of the reaction, comprises alcohol and glyoxal in a molar ratio of at least 15:1 and also water in a concentration of not more than 8% by weight in contact with the acid catalyst until concentration in the reaction mixture of the diacetal formed reaches at least 70% of the equilibrium concentration without more than 5% by weight of the alcohol used having already been distilled off.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing diacetals of glyoxal by reacting from 40 to 75% by weight aqueous glyoxal with monohydric alcohols in the presence of an acid catalyst, which comprises leaving a liquid mixture which, at the beginning of the reaction, comprises alcohol and glyoxal in a molar ratio of at least 15:1 and also water in a concentration of not more than 8% by weight in contact with the acid catalyst until concentration in the reaction mixture of the diacetal formed reaches at least 70% of the equilibrium concentration without more than 5% by weight of the alcohol used having already been distilled off.