Abstract: The invention describes a process for the preparation of surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers which are, inter alia, highly suitable as surfactants or for the preparation of surfactants. The process, starting from olefin mixtures having a defined minimum content of linear hexenes, gives mixtures having a predominant fraction of branched dodecenes, which are subsequently derivatized to give surfactant alcohols and then optionally alkoxylated. The surfactant alcohol mixture obtained in the process has a degree of branching of from 2.0 to 3.0 and in particular exhibits advantageous properties as regards ecotoxicity and biodegradability. A description is also given of the use of the surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers as surfactants by glycosidation or polyglycosidation, sulfation or phosphation.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing acid formates in which methyl formate is reacted with water and a basic compound having a pKa of the conjugate acid of the corresponding dissociation state of ?3 measured at 25° C. in aqueous solution, the methanol formed is separated off and, optionally, the desired acid content is set by adding formic acid.

Abstract: A catalyst comprising at least one complex of a metal of transition group VIII comprising at least one monodentate, bidentate or multidentate phosphinamidite ligand in which the phosphorus atom and the oxygen atom of the phosphinamidite group form part of a 5- to 8-membered heterocycle can be used for the hydroformylation and hydrocyanation of compounds containing at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond. The phosphinamidite ligand is, for example, represented by the following formulae wherein represents an optionally substituted 5- to 8-membered heterocycle wherein A represents carbon ring members; represents an optionally substituted N-bonded heterocycle wherein (Het) indicates optional ring heteroatoms in addition to the N; and B is a carbon-carbon single bond or a divalent bridging group.

Abstract: Essentially monounsaturated polyalkylenes having from 30 to 700 carbon atoms are continuously hydroformylated by a process in which i) a hydroformylation-active cobalt carbonyl catalyst is prepared from a catalyst precursor dissolved in an aqueous phase in the absence of the polyalkylenes, ii) the polyalkylenes are hydroformylated by means of synthesis gas in the presence of the cobalt carbonyl catalyst in a reaction zone, iii) the cobalt carbonyl catalyst is separated from the output from the reaction zone with at least partial reformation of the catalyst precursor and the catalyst precursor is recirculated to step i).

Abstract: Process for the carbonylation of n-pentenoic acid or its derivatives of the formula (I) C4H7—R1??(I) where R1 is —CN or COOR2 where R2 is hydrogen, alkyl or aryl by reaction of a compound of the formula (I) with carbon monoxide and a compound (II) containing a hydroxyl group in the presence of a catalyst system, wherein the catalyst system is obtainable by reaction of a) a source for a metal ion of a metal (III) of the 8th subgroup of the Periodic Table of the Elements with b) a bidentate phosphine ligand of the formula (IV) (R3R4R5C)(R6R7R8C)P-L1-X-L2-P(CR9R10R11) (CR12R13R14)??(IV) where R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14 independently of one another is an organic radical which in each case contains a carbon atom, via which the respective radical is linked to the relevant tertiary carbon atom mentioned in formula (IV); L1, L2 independently of one another are a lower alkylene group; X is an arylene group.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of saturated C3-C20-alcohols in which a liquid hydrogenation feed comprising at least one C3-C20-aldehyde is passed over a bed of a hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of a hydrogen-containing gas, which comprises adding to the hydrogenation feed an amount, homogeneously soluble therein, of a salt-like base. The addition of base suppresses side reactions, such as acetalization, aldolization, Tischtschenko reaction or ether formation.

Abstract: The invention describes a process for the preparation of novel surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers by derivatization of olefins having from about 10 to 20 carbon atoms or of mixtures of such olefins to give alkanols, and optional subsequent alkoxylation, which comprises subjecting a C4-olefin mixture to metathesis, dimerizing the resulting olefins, and then derivatizing them to give surfactant alcohols, and optionally alkoxylating said alcohols. The olefin mixture obtained in the dimerization has a high proportion of branched components and less than 10% by weight of compounds which contain a vinylidene group. The invention further describes the use of the surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers to give surfactants by glycosylation or polyglycosylation, sulfation or phosphation.

Abstract: Dialkyl ketones are prepared by reductive carbonylation of &agr;-olefins by means of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst system comprising (a) palladium or a palladium compound; (b) a phosphine; (c) a protic acid having a pKa of ≦4.5, measured in aqueous solution at 25° C.; and (d) a solubilizable carboxamide.

Abstract: The invention describes a process for the preparation of surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers which are, inter alia, highly suitable as surfactants or for the preparation of surfactants. The process, starting from olefin mixtures which comprise less than 30% by weight of linear hexene isomers and utilizing a catalyst which contains nickel, prepares olefin mixtures having a predominant fraction of branched dodecenes, which are subsequently derivatized to give surfactant alcohols and then optionally alkoxylated. The invention further relates to the use of the surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers for the preparation of surfactants by glycosidation or polyglycosidation, sulfation or phosphation.

Abstract: Phosphabenzene compounds of the formula (I) where the radicals R1 to R13 are, independently of one another, hydrogen, COOM, SO3M, NR3X, NR2, OR, COOR or SR (where M=hydrogen, NH4 or alkali metal, X=anion, R=hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl), or C1-C12-alkyl, C6-C12-aryl, C7-C12-aralkyl, C7-C12-alkaryl or C3-C6-heteroaromatics, where the alkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl radicals may bear the abovementioned radicals as substituents and two or more of the radicals may be joined to form aliphatic or fused-on rings, where at least one of the radicals R4 and R8 and at least one of the radicals R9 and R13 is not hydrogen, can be used for preparing hydroformylation catalysts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst which comprises at least one complex of a metal of group VIII, which comprises at least one uni-, bi- or multidentate phosphinite ligand in which the phosphorus atom and the oxygen atom of the phosphinite group are part of a 5- to 8-membered heterocycle, and to processes for hydroformylation and hydrocyanation of compounds which contain at least one ethylenic double bond in the presence of a catalyst of this type.

Abstract: The catalyst comprises at least one bi- or more highly dentate phosphonite ligand of the general formula I or salts and mixtures thereof and is useful in a process for hydroformylating compounds containing at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond by reaction with carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Abstract: Functionalized cyclopentene-derived oligomer mixtures are prepared by reacting oligomer mixtures which contain ethyleneic double bonds in one or more reaction steps starting from cyclopentene-derived oligomer mixtures of the formula I R1R2C═[═CH—(CH2)3—CH═]n═CR3R4  (I) where n is an integer from 1 to 15, and R1, R2, R3 and R4 are, independently of one another, hydrogen or alkyl, and are used as described.

Abstract: In a process for the hydroformylation of olefins having from 12 to 100 carbon atoms in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl catalyst at pressures of from 100 to 400 bar and at from 100 to 200° C., depressurization and recovery of the cobalt catalyst by extraction with an aqueous acid solution in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, (a) the extraction is carried out in the presence of a polymeric emulsion breaker selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated compounds containing amino, imino or OH groups, and (b) to achieve complete phase separation in the organic phase still containing small amounts of aqueous phase, the formation of relatively large droplets of the dispersed aqueous phase is effected in a coalescence stage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of aldehydes or aldehydes and alcohols by hydroformylation of olefins in the presence of a complexing catalyst homogeneously dissolved in a reaction mixture, containing a metal of Group VIIIa of the periodic table of the elements and a phosphorus-free, polydentate nitrogen compound suitable for complex formation as ligand at temperatures ranging from 50 to 100° C.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of phosphabenzene compounds of the formulae I and II where R1 to R6, independently of one another, are hydrogen, COOM SO3M, NR3X, NR2, OR, COOR or SR, where M is hydrogen, NH4 or an alkali metal, X is an anion, R is hydrogen, C1-6-alkyl, or C1-12-alkyl, C6-12-aryl, C7-12-aralkyl or C3-6-heterocycloalkyl having 1 to 3 heteroatoms which may be substituted by the above radicals or linked to form fused rings, and —W— is a bridge comprising a covalent bond, an oxo group, a sulfur group, an amino group, a di-C1-6-alkylsilicon group or a C1-16-radial, which may be part of one or more linked cyclic or aromatic rings and may be interrupted by 1 to 3 heteroatoms, where the phosphabenzene ring o- or m-position not bonded to the bridge may carry one of the radicals R1 to R6, with the exception of bis-3,3′-(2,4,6-triphenyl-3-phosphabenzene)-1,1-biphenyl, by reacting corresponding pyrilium salts with PH3 in the presence of a catalytic amount of acid and in

Abstract: Phosphabenzene compounds of the formulae I and II where R1 to R6 are identical or different and are, for example, hydrogen, are prepared by reacting corresponding pyrylium salts with PH3 in the presence or absence of a solvent or diluent. The pyrylium salts are combined with PH3 at above 0° C. and reacted at a temperature in the range from 0° C. to 200° C. and a pressure above 1 bar without addition of an acid catalyst or a base.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of aldehydes or aldehydes and alcohols by hydroformylation of olefins containing more than 3 carbon atoms, comprising a hydroformylation stage, in which the olefin is hydroformylated under a pressure of form 50 to 1000 bar and at a temperature of from 50° to 180° C. by means of a rhodium catalyst dissolved in a homogenous reaction medium and a catalyst recovery stage comprising extraction of the rhodium catalyst with an aqueous solution of chelating agent, isolation of alcohols and/or aldehyde from the extracted hydroformylation product steam, precarbonylation of the aqueous rhodium-containing extract in the presence of carbon monoxide, synthesis gas as, or a gas mixture containing carbon monoxide under a pressure of from 50 to 1000 bar and at a temperature of from 50° to 180° C.

Abstract: Fuel and lubricant compositions contain a poly-1-n-alkenylamine as an additive.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of aldehydes by hydroformylation of olefins having more than 7 carbon atoms, comprising hydroformylation by means of a rhodium catalyst dissolved homogeneously in the reaction medium, removal of the rhodium catalyst from the hydroformylation reaction product, and recycling of the rhodium separated off from the hydroformylation product into the hydroformylation step, in which the rhodium catalyst is extracted from the hydroformylation product into the aqueous phase by means of an aqueous solution of a nitrogen-containing complexing agent from the group comprising of sulfonated pyridines, sulfonated quinolines, substituted or unsubstituted, sulfonated or sulfonated substituent-carrying 2,2'-bipyridines, 1,10-phenanthrolines, 2,2'-biquinolines, 2,2',6',2"-terpyridines and porphines, and/or from the group comprising of carboxylated pyridines, carboxylated quinolines, substituted or unsubstituted, carboxylated or carboxylated substituent-carrying 2,2'-bipyridines, 1,10-phenanthrolines