Abstract: A process for continuous production of C2-C4-monoalkanolamines by reaction of a corresponding C2-C4-alkylene oxide with a molar excess of ammonia (NH3), wherein aqueous ammonia is employed, in the liquid phase and in the presence of an acidic cation exchanger as catalyst which contains a crosslinked copolymer comprising acidic functional groups as the carrier matrix, wherein the cation exchanger has a total exchange capacity of not less than 1.8 eq/L.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the conversion of propylene oxide to 1-amino-2-propanol and/or di(2-hydroxypropyl)amine comprising (i) providing a catalyst comprising a zeolitic material comprising YO2 and optionally comprising X2O3 in its framework structure, wherein Y is a tetravalent element and X is a trivalent element, wherein the zeolitic material has a framework-type structure selected from the group consisting of MFI and/or MEL, including MEL/MFI intergrowths; (ii) providing a mixture in the liquid phase comprising propylene oxide and ammonia; (iii) contacting the catalyst provided in (i) with the mixture in the liquid phase provided in (ii) for converting propylene oxide to 1-amino-2-propanol and/or di(2-hydroxypropyl)amine.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of glycolaldehyde with an aminating agent in the presence of hydrogen and of a catalyst in a glycolaldehyde conversion reactor, wherein one or more organic carboxylic acids are fed into the glycolaldehyde conversion reactor.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of glycolaldehyde with an aminating agent in the presence of hy-5 drogen and of a catalyst, wherein the conversion is carried out in the gas phase.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of ethyleneamines and ethanolamines, comprising the steps of (i) converting a glycolaldehyde derivative of formula (II), in which R2, R3 are—the same or different—hydrogen, alkyl, such as C1-6-alkyl, or cycloalkyl such as Cs-e-cycloalkyl; and an animating agent of formula (III); in which R1 is hydrogen (H), alkyl, such as C1-6-alkyl, or cycloalkyl such as C3-6-cycloalkyl, in the gas or liquid phase; (ii) feeding the reaction products obtained in step (i) into a hydrogenation reactor, where the reaction products are converted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst.

Abstract: A process for continuous production of C2-C4-monoalkanolamines by reaction of a corresponding C2-C4-alkylene oxide with a molar excess of ammonia (NH3), wherein aqueous ammonia is employed, in the liquid phase and in the presence of an acidic cation exchanger as catalyst which contains a crosslinked copolymer comprising acidic functional groups as the carrier matrix, wherein the cation exchanger has a total exchange capacity of not less than 1.8 eq/L.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for hydrogenating nitriles with hydrogen in the presence of a ZrO2-supported ruthenium catalyst.

Abstract: A process for producing a polyetheramine by reacting a polyether alcohol, previously synthesized in the presence of a basic potassium or sodium compound as catalyst, with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst in one reactor or a plurality of reactors, wherein the employed polyether alcohol when previously synthesized in the presence of a basic potassium compound as catalyst has a content of potassium ions of less than 50 wppm and when previously synthesized in the presence of a basic sodium compound as catalyst has a content of sodium ions of less than 50 wppm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for hydrogenating nitriles with hydrogen in the presence of a ZrO2-supported ruthenium catalyst.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing primary amines, which comprises hydrogenating at least one nitrile in an apparatus (V1) in the presence of an unsupported cobalt catalyst to obtain at least one primary amine, with recurrent or continuous addition of at least one compound (I) to the apparatus (V1), said compound (I) comprising at least one component selected from alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and rare earth metal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethylenediamine (EDA), where the process comprises the steps a) to c). In step a), formaldehyde is reacted with hydrocyanic acid (HCN) to form formaldehyde cyanohydrin (FACH), where the hydrocyanic acid is completely free or largely free of sulfur dioxide (SO2). The FACH prepared in this way is reacted with ammonia (NH3) to form aminoacetonitrile (AAN) in step b), whereupon a hydrogenation of AAN in the presence of a catalyst to form EDA is carried out in step c).

Abstract: A process for producing a polyetheramine by reacting a polyether alcohol, previously synthesized in the presence of a basic potassium or sodium compound as catalyst, with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst in one reactor or a plurality of reactors, wherein the employed polyether alcohol when previously synthesized in the presence of a basic potassium compound as catalyst has a content of potassium ions of less than 50 wppm and when previously synthesized in the presence of a basic sodium compound as catalyst has a content of sodium ions of less than 50 wppm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for purifying ethylenediamine (EDA) by distillation, wherein the process comprises the steps a) and b). In step a), a mixture (G1) comprising water, EDA and N-methylethylenediamine (N-MeEDA) is fed into a distillation apparatus (D1), and the major part of the water comprised in the mixture (G1) is separated off overhead at a pressure of greater than 4.8 bara. From the bottom of (D1), the water-enriched mixture (G2) is fed into a distillation apparatus (D2) in step b). At the top of (D2), the major part of the N-MeEDA is distilled off. The stream (S3) obtained from the bottom of (D2) comprises EDA, with the components water and N-MeEDA comprised in the mixture (G1) having been largely or completely removed. Further distillation steps can optionally be carried out in order to obtain pure EDA, for example when diethylenetriamine (DETA) is additionally comprised in the mixture (G1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing primary amines, which comprises hydrogenating at least one nitrile in an apparatus (V1) in the presence of an unsupported cobalt catalyst to obtain at least one primary amine, with recurrent or continuous addition of at least one compound (I) to the apparatus (V1), said compound (I) comprising at least one component selected from alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and rare earth metal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for purifying ethylenediamine (EDA) by distillation, wherein the process comprises the steps a) and b). In step a), a mixture (G1) comprising water, EDA and N-methylethylenediamine (N-MeEDA) is fed into a distillation apparatus (D1), and the major part of the water comprised in the mixture (G1) is separated off overhead at a pressure of greater than 4.8 bara. From the bottom of (D1), the water-enriched mixture (G2) is fed into a distillation apparatus (D2) in step b). At the top of (D2), the major part of the N-MeEDA is distilled off. The stream (S3) obtained from the bottom of (D2) comprises EDA, with the components water and N-MeEDA comprised in the mixture (G1) having been largely or completely removed. Further distillation steps can optionally be carried out in order to obtain pure EDA, for example when diethylenetriamine (DETA) is additionally comprised in the mixture (G1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethylenediamine (EDA), where the process comprises the steps a) to c). In step a), formaldehyde is reacted with hydrocyanic acid (HCN) to form formaldehyde cyanohydrin (FACH), where the hydrocyanic acid is completely free or largely free of sulfur dioxide (SO2). The FACH prepared in this way is reacted with ammonia (NH3) to form aminoacetonitrile (AAN) in step b), whereupon a hydrogenation of AAN in the presence of a catalyst to form EDA is carried out in step c).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for hydrogenating nitriles by means of hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst in a reactor, where the catalyst is arranged in a fixed bed, wherein the cross-sectional loading in the reactor is in the range from 5 kg/(m2 s) to 50 kg/(m2 s). The present invention further relates to a process for preparing downstream products of isophoronediamine (IPDA) or N,N-dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) from amines prepared according to the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for reacting glycolaldehyde with an aminating agent in the presence of hydrogen and of a catalyst, the catalyst being activated by reducing a catalyst precursor or by reducing a passivated catalyst, which comprises effecting the reaction in the presence of a solvent and contacting the glycolaldehyde with the activated catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethanolamines by reacting glycolaldehyde with monoethanolamine and/or diethanolamine in the presence of a catalyst.

Abstract: Processes for decreasing fumaric acid deposits in preparing maleic anhydride by heterogeneously catalyzed oxidation of a hydrocarbon with molecular oxygen. Maleic anhydride is absorbed from the crude mixture in an absorbent in an absorption column and desorbed in a desorption column, the entirety or portion of absorbent depleted in maleic anhydride, for controlled precipitation of fumaric acid, being cooled and/or concentrated by evaporating a portion of absorbent such that the difference between the concentration of fumaric acid in the recycle stream at the outlet of the desorption column under existing conditions and the equilibrium concentration of fumaric acid according to the solubility curve after cooling and/or evaporation of a portion of absorbent is ?250 ppm by weight, and the fumaric acid precipitated as a solid is removed completely or partly from the absorbent recycling system and the fumaric acid-depleted absorbent is recycled completely or partly to the absorption column.