Abstract: The use of guanidinoacetic acid and/or salts thereof in combination with choline and/or betaine to produce an agent for improving brain function, bone growth and the mineralization of bones, for improving cartilage growth, for alleviating aging processes, for strengthening the immune system, as an antioxidative and neuroprotective agent, for lowering the cholesterol and triglyceride value, for preventing inflammatory processes and for lowering the blood sugar level in humans and vertebrates is described. In this connection it has surprisingly turned out that the new agents have a considerably higher bioavailability and are thus better taken up into the cells than was previously known when using creatine.

Abstract: A method for producing high-purity silicon nitride in two steps is described, wherein a) high-purity silicon is reacted with nitrogen in a rotary tubular furnace comprising a first temperature zone of 1,150 to 1,250° C. and at least one other temperature zone of 1,250 to 1,350° C. in the presence of a gas mixture comprising argon and hydrogen, said reaction proceeding up to a nitrogen content of 10 to 30 wt % and b) allowing the partially nitrogen-containing product from step a) to react in a chamber or settling furnace in a quiescent bed at 1,100 to 1,450° C. with a mixture of nitrogen, argon and optionally hydrogen up to the completion of nitrogen uptake. It is possible, utilizing the method according to the invention, to produce high-purity silicon nitride with a purity of >99.9 in a technically simple manner, wherein no further purification steps, such as leaching with inorganic acids, are required.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of aqueous guanidinium formiate solutions, optionally combined with urea and/or ammonia and/or ammonium salts, for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides using ammonia in exhaust gases of vehicles. The inventive guanidinium formiate solutions enable a reduction of the nitrogen oxides by approximately 90%. Furthermore, said guanidinium formiate solutions can enable an increase in the ammonia forming potential from 0.2 kg, corresponding to prior art, up to 0.4 kg ammonia per liter of guanidinium formiate, along with freezing resistance (freezing point below ?25° C.). The risk of corrosion of the inventive guanidinium formiate solutions is also significantly reduced compared to that of solutions containing ammonium formiate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a preparation comprising a creatine component, which has excellent bio-availability and leads to improved creatine retention in the human and animal body. The present invention further relates to a method for the production of said preparation, and to the use thereof as a nutritional supplement, functional food, animal feed additive, pharmaceutical, and as an additive for cosmetic and dermatologic formulations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of guanidinoacetic acid and/or salts thereof as feed additive, in predominantly vegetarian diets, in particular use being made of salts with hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid and phosphoric acid. The use proceeds especially in individual doses from 0.01 to 100 g/kg of feed in the form of powders, granules, pastilles or capsules, the feed additive also being able to be used in combination with other physiologically active materials of value. The claimed use which is suitable especially for breeding and growing livestock, has recourse to a compound which is in particular stable in aqueous solution, can be converted to creatine under physiological conditions, and, in contrast to other guanidine derivatives, is completely available to physiological sectors of use.

Abstract: A method of treating wooden parts is described in which a) the wooden parts are impregnated with an aqueous cyanamide solution and subsequently b) the impregnated wooden parts, where appropriate after drying, are subjected to a heat treatment of 130 to 250° C. Here it has surprisingly emerged that impregnation with cyanamide even in small amounts has a significantly positive influence on the performance properties of the treated wooden parts, such as high hardness, low water absorption and very good weathering stability, for example. Moreover, only small amounts of a toxicologically and environmentally unobjectionable impregnating agent are needed in order to obtain these advantageous properties.

Abstract: A new finished feed for domestic pets is proposed, containing at least one guanidinoacetic acid component as the active component with regard to nutritional physiology. The new finished feed which preferably has a water content of >8% by weight, can be produced in an extremely economical manner, wherein the main component has a significantly higher stability during passage through the gastrointestinal tract and is therefore only converted into creative under physiological conditions. For this reason the guanidinoacetic acid is also utilized to a high degree by the target group which is in particular cats and dogs.

Abstract: A process for producing creatine, creatine monohydrate or guanidinoacetic acid is proposed, wherein firstly N-methylethanolamine or ethanolamine is catalytically dehydrogenated in each case in alkaline solution and the sarcosinate or glycinate solutions that are obtained in this manner are finally reacted under acidic conditions with a guanylating agent such as for example O-alkylisourea or cyanamide. In this manner products are obtained in high yields and very good purity where in contrast to the prior art no traces whatsoever of hydrocyanic acid, formaldehyde, chloroacetic acid or ammonia are present. The formation of the toxicologically critical dihydrotriazine is also avoided.

Abstract: A method for producing high-purity silicon nitride in two steps is described, wherein a) high-purity silicon is reacted with nitrogen in a rotary tubular furnace comprising a first temperature zone of 1,150 to 1,250° C. and at least one other temperature zone of 1,250 to 1,350° C. in the presence of a gas mixture comprising argon and hydrogen, said reaction proceeding up to a nitrogen content of 10 to 30 wt % and b) allowing the partially nitrogen-containing product from step a) to react in a chamber or settling furnace in a quiescent bed at 1,100 to 1,450° C. with a mixture of nitrogen, argon and optionally hydrogen up to the completion of nitrogen uptake. It is possible, utilizing the method according to the invention, to produce high-purity silicon nitride with a purity of >99.9 in a technically simple manner, wherein no further purification steps, such as leaching with inorganic acids, are required.

Abstract: The present invention provides new salts and/or addition compounds and/or complex compounds of guanidinoacetic acid with malic acid, aspartic acid, ascorbic acid, succinic acid, pyruvic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, ?-ketoglutaric acid, oxalic acid, pyroglutamic acid, 3-nicotinic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, maleic acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, taurine, betaine, choline, methionine and lipoic acid as well as in the form of sodium, potassium or calcium guanidinoacetate. These salts have improved physiological and therapeutic properties and are particularly suitable for use as dietary supplements, as animal feeds and in cosmetic or dermatological preparations in which especially the marked stability and good bioavailability of the salts come to the fore.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides using ammonia in exhaust gases of vehicles, whereby solutions of guanidine salts with an ammonia forming potential of between 40 and 850 g/kg, optionally in combination with urea and/or ammonia and/or ammonium salts, are catalytically decomposed in the presence of catalytically active, non-oxidation-active coatings of oxides selected from the group containing titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide or the mixtures thereof, and hydrothermally stable zeolites which are fully or partially metal-exchanged. The guanidine salts according to the invention enable a reduction of the nitrogen oxides by approximately 90%. Furthermore, said guanidine salts can enable an increase in the ammonia forming potential from 0.2 kg, corresponding to prior art, up to 0.4 kg ammonia per litre of guanidine salt, along with freezing resistance (freezing point below ?25° C.).

Abstract: A free-flowing, powdery composition contains a lipoic acid component and from 0.1 to 25% by weight of the total composition of a silica-based flow aid having a particle size (×100 value) of <800 ?m.

Abstract: Physiological strengthening agents in the form of nutritional supplements, feed additives or in cosmetic preparations in the non-medicinal field of application, as well as plant stimulating agents is the use of guanidine compounds of the general formula (I) or their salts, especially creatinol, creatinol-O-phosphate or one of their salts with aspartic acid, ascorbic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid or phosphoric acid. R1 and R2 can be organic or inorganic compounds, such as, phosphate, sulfate, acetyl, formyl, methyl, ethyl or propyl. The compounds are as nutritional supplements for, e.g., human being in the fields of education, sports, reconvalescence or geriatrics They can also be used as animal feed additives.

Abstract: A description is given of the use of asymmetrically substituted urea derivatives of the general formula (I) where R1 and R2 each independently are a linear or branched aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms as accelerators in combination with dicyandiamide as latent hardener for epoxy resin systems based on unhalogenated or halogenated bisphenols of type A or F and also based on resorcinol or tetrakisphenylolethane. The advantages of the inventively proposed accelerator/hardener combination are, for example, the excellent reactivity and very good storage stability. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the resins cured accordingly are likewise outstanding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing amino- or hydroxybenzonitriles during which, within the scope of an ammonolysis, the corresponding amino- or hydroxybenzoic acid compounds are reacted with ammonia in the presence of a phosphate-containing supported catalyst at temperatures between 250° C. and 500° C. The production step is carried out in a reaction gas without an organic solvent followed by at least a 2-stage purification step.

Abstract: A new finished feed for domestic pets is proposed, containing at least one guanidinoacetic acid component as the active component with regard to nutritional physiology. The new finished feed which preferably has a water content of >8% by weight, can be produced in an extremely economical manner, wherein the main component has a significantly higher stability during passage through the gastrointestinal tract and is therefore only converted into creatine under physiological conditions. For this reason the guanidinoacetic acid is also utilized to a high degree by the target group which is in particular cats and dogs.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of creatine or creatine salts as a fat substitute to be given to breeding animals and feeder animals. The creatine or creatine salts are used as a substitute for flesh meal, fish meal and/or antimicrobial performance enhancers, growth hormones as well as anabolic agents.