Abstract: The invention relates method of combating undesired plant growth at a locus, comprising application to the locus of an effective amount of at least one compound of formula (I): wherein R1, R3, A, X, Z and m have the meaning given in claim 1, and the agronomically acceptable salts or N-oxides thereof, and to novel compounds of formula I as well as to herbicidal compositions containing such compounds as active ingredients.

Abstract: The invention relates to a non-aqueous, emulsifiable concentrate (EC) formulation for crop protection active compounds which comprises (a1) 50 to 300 g/L of at least one azole derivative having a free hydroxy group or a salt or an adduct thereof, preferably a compound of formula I, ?wherein, R1 and R2 each independently represent hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or alkadienyl group; R3 represents a halogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkadienyl, alkoxy or aryl group; A represents a nitrogen atom or a CH group; and n represents an integer from 0 to 2; (a2) optionally, 50 to 500 g/L of at least one additional fungicidally active compound; (b) up to 700 g/L of one or more alkoxylates of an aliphatic alcohol, (c) up to 100 g/L of one or more non-ionic dispersants, (d) 10 to 100 g/L of one or more anionic dispersants, (e) 50 to 600 g/L of one or more polar aprotic organic solvents, and (f) 150 to 500 g/L of one or more non-polar organic solvents

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a solvent-free suspension of a low-melting point water-insoluble solid agrochemical active ingredient, which comprises suspending 1-40% by weight of a silica-based carrier in 40 to 97% by weight of water in the presence of 1-40% by weight of anionic dispersant, heating the suspension thus obtained to a temperature above that of the active ingredient, and adding, with stirring, 1-25% by weight of a molten active ingredient with a melting point of <80° C. or a mixture of at least two active ingredients each having a melting point of <80° C. The present invention furthermore relates to the preparation of suspension concentrates, water-dispersible powders and water-dispersible granules based on the suspensions prepared via the abovementioned process.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid sequences which code for a polypeptide having nitrilase activity, to nucleic acid constructs comprising the nucleic acid sequences, and to vectors comprising the nucleic acid sequences or the nucleic acid constructs. The invention further relates to amino acid sequences which are encoded by the nucleic acid sequences, and to microorganisms comprising the nucleic acid sequences, the nucleic acid constructs or vectors comprising the nucleic acid sequences or the nucleic acid constructs. The invention additionally relates to a process for preparing chiral carboxylic acids from the racemic nitriles.

Abstract: A liquid antimicrobial composition comprises: (1) a mixture of iodide anions and thiocyanate anions; (2) periodic acid or an alkali metal salt thereof; and (3) optionally, a peroxidase. The composition may be used as a microbicide, disinfectant or for suppressing or killing viruses or spores.

Abstract: The invention describes a process for the preparation of 1,2-diarylethanones by reaction of an arylacetonitrile and an aromatic compound and hydrolysis of the ketimine compound formed, where the solvent used for the reaction is at least one dialkyl ether of a mono- or polyalkylene glycol or a cyclic ether having at least two oxygen atoms. The process produces good yields at room temperature, and drying of the solvent is not required.

Abstract: In a process for the continuous preparation of 2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3-propanediol, nitromethane is firstly reacted with formaldehyde and alkali metal hydroxide and the reaction mixture obtained in this way is subsequently reacted with bromine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for obtaining anhydrous or substantially anhydrous formic acid, in which firstly aqueous formic acid is prepared by hydrolysis of methyl formate and is freed from water in the subsequent work-up. The process has the special feature that steam, which is employed for the hydrolysis of methyl formate and for heating a distillation column serving for work-up, is also used as stripping steam for waste-water stripping. The stripped waste water is produced during work-up.

Abstract: In a process for preparing N-phosphonomethylglycine or a salt thereof by bringing phosphonomethyliminodiacetic acid or a salt thereof into contact with at least one oxygen-containing oxidant in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, the heterogeneous catalyst comprises at least one silicate.

Abstract: The invention relates to the preparation of ultra-high purity 1,2-diaminocyclohexanetetraacetic acid being essentially free of unwanted metal and metal ion contaminants and its use as a stabilizer for ultra-high purity hydroxylamine compounds used extensively in the production of high premium electronic components.

Abstract: A process for preparing a stable, aqueous dispersion or a stable water-dispersible dry powder of xanthophylls selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin, by a) dissolving one or more of the abovementioned xanthophylls in a water-miscible organic solvent or a mixture of water and a water-miscible organic solvent at temperatures above 30° C., b) mixing this solution with an aqueous solution of a protective colloid, the solvent component being transferred into the aqueous phase, and the hydrophobic phase of the xanthophyll resulting as nanodisperse phase c) and, where appropriate, converting the dispersion which has formed into a water-dispersible dry powder by removing the solvent and the water and drying, where appropriate in the presence of a coating material, wherein casein or a caseinate is used as protective colloid in step b).

Abstract: A process for preparing hydroformylation products of propylene and for preparing acrylic acid and/or acrolein comprises a) feeding a propylene-containing feed in which from 2 to 40% by weight of propane is present and also carbon monoxide and hydrogen into a reaction zone and reacting this mixture in the presence of a hydroformylation catalyst to form hydroformylation products of propane, b) separating a stream consisting essentially of unreacted propylene and propane from the output from the reaction zone, and c) subjecting the stream consisting essentially of propylene and propane to a catalytic gas-phase oxidation in the presence of molecular oxygen to form acrylic acid and/or acrolein.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of graft copolymers obtained by radical graft copolymerisation of a) at least one open-chained N-vinylamide compound of general formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3 represents H or C1-C6-alkyl and b) optionally, one or several other copolymerizeable monomers on a polymer graft base c) for cosmetic applications, with the proviso that if the polymer graft base is a compound containing polyether, the copolymerizeable polymer b) does not represent vinylester

Abstract: A process for removing chloride from chloridic iron oxide comprises mixing said chloridic iron oxide with an acid and subsequently conducting a thermal treatment at from 50 to 1300° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to expandable polyolefin beads which comprise blowing agent and have been coated with from 0.01 to 3% by weight of a salt and/or ester of a long-chain fatty acid, preferably with calcium stearate, to prevent caking during foaming.

Abstract: A process for the distillation of vinylaromatic monomers in the presence of 4-tert-butylcatechol (TBC) and oxygen, wherein no aromatic nitro or amino compound is present in any effective amount. The process is particularly suitable for destabilizing and purifying styrene which has been stabilized with 4-tert-butylcatechol (TBC) for transportation.

Abstract: Printing inks and paints comprising a polyolefin wax component prepared from one or more olefins by catalysis using a single-site catalyst based on a complex of a transition metal from groups 5 to 8 of the Periodic System of the Elements, which comprises not more than one cyclopentadienyl system per transition metal.

Abstract: A layered composite has at least one decorative surface and comprises a backing layer made from a thermoplastic polymer which is not polypropylene, a decorative layer arranged thereupon and a heat-cured layer applied to the decorative layer. An intermediate layer may also be inserted as bonding material between the backing layer and the decorative layer. The decorative layer and the heat-cured layer may also be applied to both sides of the backing layer.

Abstract: Solvent-containing pastes comprising a polyolefin wax component prepared from one or more olefins by catalysis using a single-site catalyst based on a complex of a transition metal from groups 5 to 8 of the Periodic System of the Elements, and use of these pastes.