Abstract: A particulate polymer P having an average particle diameter d50 of from 0.1 to 50 &mgr;m is prepared by a process in which an emulsion E is prepared from one or more monomers M, which are polymerizable by free radical polymerization to give the polymer P, water, and at least one protective colloid PC by the action of high shear forces, and the emulsion E is subjected to polymerization in a reactor with the use of a free radical polymerization initiator RI wherein, based on the emulsion E, not more than 75% by weight of the emulsion E (initially taken portion of E) are initially taken in the reactor at the beginning of the polymerization and at least 25% by weight of the emulsion E (feed portion of E) are not fed to the reactor until after the beginning of the polymerization.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing (meth)acrylic esters by reacting (meth)acrylic acid with C4-C12-alkanols in the presence of sulfuric acid or a mono-C4-C12-alkyl sulfate as catalyst, where the catalyst is regenerated by extraction with water from the reaction mixture and the aqueous catalyst solution is recycled back to the esterification, the concentration of unreacted alkanol in the reaction mixture to be extracted being not more than 5% by weight, based on the reaction mixture to be extracted.

Abstract: Bisimides of the formula I where R1, R2, R3 and R4 have the meanings stated in the description, are prepared in a process in which the corresponding dicarboxylic anhydrides of the formulae II and III R1—CO—O—CO—R2  (II) R3—CO—O—CO—R4  (III), are reacted with an amine of the formula H2N—R—NH2 in the presence of a tertiary amine.

Abstract: A process for the hydrogenation of a sugar or a mixture of two or more thereof comprises the following step: Bringing the sugar or the mixture of two or more thereof into contact with hydrogen in the presence of specific catalysts to give a sugar alcohol or a mixture of two or more thereof, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one metal of transition group VIII of the Periodic Table, either alone or together with at least one metal of transition group I or VII of the Periodic Table.

Abstract: Thermoplastic molding materials contain A) polycarbonates B) elastomeric graft copolymers, C+D) two different, thermoplastic copolymers based on styrene or &agr;-methylstyrene, E) copolymers based on alkyl(meth)acrylate and F) polymeric, OH-containing compounds.

Abstract: Water-absorbing foamlike crosslinked polymers which are obtainable by (I) foaming a polymerizable aqueous mixture which consists of (a) monoethylenically unsaturated monomers containing acid groups, which are at least 50 mol % neutralized, (b) with or without other monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, (c) crosslinker, (d) initiators, (e) from 0.1 to 20% by weight of at least one surfactant, (f) with or without one or more solubilizers and (g) with or without thickeners, foam stabilizers, polymerization regulators, fillers and/or cell nucleating agents, the foaming being performed by dispersing fine bubbles of a gas inert to free radicals, and (II) polymerizing the foamed mixture with formation of a foamed hydrogel, with or without adjusting the water content of the foamed polymer to from 1 to 60% by weight, processes for their preparation and their use in sanitary articles which are used for absorbing body fluids and in dressing materials for covering wounds are described.

Abstract: C2-C8-Alk-1-enes are polymerized by means of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst system in a reactor cascade comprising at least two reactors, a homo- or copolymer of C2-C8-alk-1-enes being prepared in a reactor RA, upstream of which one or more further reactors may be connected, the reaction mixture being discharged from RA and transferred to a subsequent reactor RB and the polymerization in RB and in the reactors which may be connected to RB being carried out in the presence of a liquid or dissolved regulator for regulating the catalyst activity, by a process in which the regulator is added to the reaction mixture after discharge from RA and before entry into RB, and an apparatus for polymerizing C2-C8-alk-1-enes by means of the novel process is described.

Abstract: 3,7-Dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-al of formula I is prepared continuously by: thermally cleaving, in the presence or absence of an acid catalyst, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-al diprenyl acetal of formula II: thereby eliminating 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol of formula III and yielding cis/trans-prenyl 3-methylbutadienyl ether of formula IV: thermally rearranging the resultant butadienyl ether of formula IV thereby yielding 2,4,4-trimethyl-3-formyl-1,5-hexadiene of formula V: subsequently rearranging intermediate (V) thereby yielding citral product of formula I, which comprises: as the reaction proceeds, continuously distilling the reaction mixture thereby continuously removing prenol, which is formed by degradation of acetal II, and the intermediates of formula IV and V and any citral product which is formed during the reaction; and thermally rearranging said intermediates of formula IV and V at a temperature of 100-200° C.

Abstract: A process for working up residues containing dihydroxy compounds resulting from the preparation of polyesters, where (1) in a first stage there is esterification or transesterification of a dicarboxylic acid or esters thereof or ester-forming derivatives with a molar excess of a dihydroxy compound, (2) in at least one second stage there is polycondensation of the esterification product obtained in (1), (3) the vapors (a) and (b) resulting from the reactions in (1) and (2) respectively are subjected to a treatment to recover the starting materials, wherein the treatment to recover the starting materials is carried out in the presence of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal compound in an amount of from 0.5 to 10% by weight, calculated as alkali metal or alkaline earth metal, based on the solids content of the vapors.

Abstract: Phosphonic acid compounds I wherein Eth is optionally substituted 1,2-ethynediyl, ethanediyl or ethene-1,2-diyl; Y1 is oxygen or sulfur; Y2 is oxygen, sulfur or —N(R6)—; Y3 is oxygen, sulfur or —N(R7)—; R1, R2, R6 and R7 are hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl or heterocyclyl, or R1 and R2, R1 and R6, R2 and R7 together are optionally substituted 1,2-ethanediyl, 1,3-propylene, tetramethylene, pentamethylene or ethyleneoxyethylene, or R1 and R2 together are optionally substituted 1,2-phenylene; R3 is cyano, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy; R4 is hydrogen or halogen, and R5 is a heterocycle &PHgr;1 to &PHgr;22 as defined in the specification, their manufacture and intermediates therefore. The phosphonic acid compounds are effective against unwanted plants and act as desiccants and defoliants.

Abstract: 1,3-Dimethylimidazolium 4-carboxylate is prepared by reacting 1-methylimidazole with dimethyl carbonate optionally in the presence of a solvent in accordance with the following reaction scheme:

Abstract: Agglomerated particles of water-swellable addition polymers, the agglomerated particles having an average particle diameter of from 20 to 5000 &mgr;m and consisting of primary particles having an average particle diameter of from 0.

Abstract: Textile detergent formulation, containing (A) from 0.1 to 10 wt % of quaternized glycine nitriles, (B) from 0.5 to 40 wt % of bleaches in the form of peroxo compounds and/or peracids, (C) from 0.5 to 50 wt % of non-ionic and/or anionic surfactants and (D) from 5 to 85 wt % of compounds that are capable of sequestering calcium and/or magnesium ions. This formulation is suitable for domestic and commercial laundering of textiles in a dosage of more than 2 g per liter of washing liquor, particularly when using a goods-to-liquor ratio of from 1:10 to 1:2.

Abstract: Complexes in powder form of iodine and a crosslinked polymer based on N-vinyl compounds are obtainable by dry heating of iodine and a polymer which is obtained by polymerization of monovinyl compounds (monomers A) whose vinyl group is bonded to a nitrogen atom of a nitrogen-containing heterocycle, in the presence of from 0.5 to 10% by weight, based on the monomers (A), of a compound (B) of the formula I; where A is —CH— or a nitrogen atom, and n is 2 or 3. The complexes are suitable for producing antidiarrheals.

Abstract: A mixture comprising (a) from 0.1 to 99% by weight of at least one polycarboxylate having at least 3 carboxyls, (b) from 0.1 to 99% by weight of at least one amine having a pKa value of more than 9, and (c) from 0.1 to 99% by weight of at least one acid selected from the group consisting of mineral acids and organic acids having one or two carboxyls and not more than 10 carbons, with the proviso that the mixture contains less than 24% by weight of triphosphates, is used in detergent and rinse aid formulations.

Abstract: Heterocyclically substituted benzamides of the formula I are described, where R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, X, m and n have the meanings given in the description. The novel compounds are useful for controlling diseases.

Abstract: A composition comprising effective amounts of a) a compound of the formula I  or an N-oxide or salt thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are hydrogen, hydroxyl, nitro, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, alkylthio or haloalkylthio; R5, R6 and R7 are hydrogen, hydroxyl, cyano, nitro, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, alkylthio, haloalkylthio, hydroxyalkyl, acyl, aryl or aryloxy, wherein the aryl groups are optionally substituted, and e) a compound of the formula V  wherein R10 is fluorine or chlorine; R11 is trifluoromethyl or chlorine, or R10 and R11 together are a group —OCF2O—, exhibits a synergisitc fungicidal effect.

Abstract: The use of water-soluble copolymers which comprise (a) 5-20 mol % of N-vinylimidazole or 4-vinylpyridine N-oxide units, (b) 95-50 mol % of N-vinylpyrrolidone, N-vinyloxazolidone, methyl-N-vinylimidazole units or mixtures thereof and (c) 0-30 mol % of other monoethylenically unsaturated monomer units, and have an average molecular weight Mw of more than 50,000 as color transfer inhibitors in detergents.

Abstract: Flame-retardant thermoplastic molding materials contain A) from 5 to 97.7% by weight of a polyphenylene ether, B) from 1 to 93.7% by weight of vinylaromatic polymers, C) from 0 to 50% by weight of impact modifiers, D) from 0.3 to 20% by weight of sheet silicates which contain one or more nitrogen-containing compounds in amounts of from 0.1 to 50% by weight, based on the sheet silicates, E) from 1 to 20% by weight of a flameproofing agent and F) from 0 to 60% by weight of further additives.

Abstract: Initiators for free-radical addition polymerization comprising as structural feature the Diels-Alder adduct of an azo group (—N═N—) with a conjugated double bond (diene).