Abstract: A cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition which comprises at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible polyurethane of a) at least one polymer having two active hydrogen atoms per molecule which is selected from polytetrahydrofurans, polysiloxanes and mixtures thereof, b) at least one polyesterdiol, c) at least one compound comprising two active hydrogens per molecule and having a molecular weight of 56-300, d) at least one compound which contains two active hydrogen atoms and at least one anionogenic or anionic group per molecule, e) at least one diisocyanate, or a salt thereof, said polyurethane not comprising any unit which originates from a primary or secondary amine having an ionogenic or ionic group.

Abstract: A process for preparing aliphatic alpha, omega-diamines by hydrogenation of aliphatic alpha, omega-dinitriles in the presence of a catalyst comprises using a hydrogenation catalyst comprising (a) iron or a compound based on iron or mixtures thereof, (b) from 0.001 to 0.3% by weight based on (a) of a promoter based on 2, 3, 4 or 5 elements selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, zirconium, titanium and vanadium, and also (c) from 0 to 0.3% by weight based on (a) of a compound based on an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal.

Abstract: Tetrazolinonecarboxamides of formula I wherein Het is oxetan-3-yl, thietan-3-yl, tetrahydrofuran-3-yl, furan-3-yl, tetrahydrothiophen-3-yl, thiophen-3-yl, tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl, tetrahydro-2H-thiopyran-3-yl, tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl or tetrahydro-2H-thiopyran-4-yl, in each case with or without substitution; R1 is optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, phenyl, or 3- to 7-membered heterocyclyl; R2 is hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkenyl, haloalkenyl, alkynyl, or is optionally substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, phenyl, phenylalkyl, 3- to 7-membered heterocyclyl, or 3- to 7-membered heterocyclylalkyl, their preparation and herbicidal compositions comprising them.

Abstract: The fixed-bed catalyst comprises palladium and selenium or tellurium or a mixture of selenium and tellurium on a silicon dioxide support and has a BET surface area of from 80 to 380 m2/g and a pore volume of from 0.6 to 0.95 cm3/g in the pore diameter range from 3 nm to 300 &mgr;m, with from 80 to 95% of the pore volume being in the pore diameter range from 10 to 100 nm. It is prepared by impregnating a silicon dioxide support with a solution of a palladium compound and a selenium compound or tellurium compound or a mixture of a selenium compound and a tellurium compound, drying it and reducing it in the presence of hydrogen. The catalyst is used, in particular, for isomerizing 3-buten-1-ol compounds.

Abstract: Automotive colorcoat paint compositions containing special effect pigment are disclosed. The special effect pigments include mica and the resultant paint composition has been especially useful in refinish paints.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of substituted dibenzoylmethane compounds of the formula I, which comprises a1) condensing benzaldehydes of the formula II with acetophenones of the formula III to give the chalkones of the formula IV or a2) condensing benzaldehydes of the formula V with acetophenones of the formula VI to give the chalkones of the formula VII b) converting the chalcones of the formulae IV and VII into the dibenzoylmethane compounds of the formula I, the substituents R1 and R2 being defined as in the description.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous binder dispersion for cathodic electrodeposition coatings obtained A) by reacting I. a precursor prepared at temperatures of from 120 to 180° C. from a) a diepoxide compound or a mixture of diepoxide compounds and b) an aromatic or aliphatic compound hydroxyl, carboxyl, phenol and/or thiol groups, or a mixture of such compounds with reaction of the phenolic hydroxyl groups with epoxide groups, II. with at least one organic amine or a mixture of organic amines at a temperature between 60 and about 130° C. to give an epoxide/amine adduct; B) subsequently or simultaneously reacting at least one secondary hydroxyl group of the precursor with an unreacted epoxide group of the epoxide/amine adduct prepared in step A) at a temperatures of from about 110 to about 150° C.; C) adding a crosslinking agent at a temperature of less than about 150° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to ink cartridges having spring elements according to the invention and a spring element itself having a relatively constant spring force over a substantial part of the overall spring travel and comprising at least one first individual element of substantially S-bow or S-curve shape with a first spring characteristic and at least one second individual element of substantially single-bow or curve shape with a second spring characteristic, a regulating spring characteristic with a relatively constant spring force being obtained over the substantial part of the spring travel. Practical embodiments with frame parts and/or cover parts can be favorably produced by injection molding. The individual elements are provided with differing cross-sectional dimensions over their length for reducing stress at bending points susceptible to stress.

Abstract: In a process for preparing polytetrahydrofuran, polytetrahydrofuran copolymers or diesters or monoesters thereof by polymerization of tetrahydrofuran in the presence of at least one telogen and/or comonomer over acid-activated montmorillonite catalysts, the montmorillonite catalyst after acid activation has a ratio of montmorillonite structure to the sum of muscovite and kaolin structures, determined from the intensities of the reflections at 2&thgr;=5.5° for montmorillonite, 2&thgr;=9.0° for muscovite and 2&thgr;=12.5° for kaolin measured in the X-ray powder pattern, of at least 5:1.

Abstract: Butane-1,4-diol, gamma-butyrolactone or tetrahydrofuran are prepared by vapor phase hydrogenation of a C4-dicarboxylic acid derivative. A maleic anhydride containing vapor stream is contacted in an absorption zone with a first high boiling solvent. A waste gas stream is passed to a scrubbing zone containing a second, higher boiling solvent. The waste gas is purged and the first and second solvents are recovered and recycled. Maleic anhydride is obtained from the absorption zone and converted to a maleic acid diester, which is stripped from the first solvent with hydrogen. The desired products are obtained by hydrogenation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to coating materials with hydroxyl-containing polymers and di- and/or polyisocyanates, at least some of whose isocyanate groups are blocked with a mixture of from 30 to 85% by weight of one or more dialkyl malonates in which at least one of the ester radicals is an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or araliphatic secondary alkyl radical having at least 3 carbon atoms and 70 to 15% by weight of at least one other dialkyl malonate. Preparation and the blocked polyisocyanates and coating materials and use of the coating materials is also provided.

Abstract: The present nvention relates to compositions for controlling harmful fungi which comprise, as active ingredients, at least one compound which inhibits respiration on the cytochrome complex III and fenazaquin. The compositions according to the invention are useful in particular for controlling botrytis.

Abstract: Storage-stable, blowing agent-containing halogen-free emulsions for producing rigid foams based on isocyanate comprise a) compounds containing hydrogen atoms which are reactive toward isocyanate groups, b) water, c) physically acting, halogen-free blowing agents and, if desired, d) auxiliaries and/or additives which are customary in polyurethane chemistry, wherein the component a) comprises polyether alcohols having a functionality of greater than 1.5 and a hydroxyl number of from 10 to 100 mg KOH/g in an amount of from 0.2% by mass to 80% by mass, based on the mass of the component a), and the halogen-free, physically acting blowing agents c) used are hydrocarbons having from 3 to 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved process for making extruded granules containing an agriculturally active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating composition featuring increased solids contents, which comprises at least one polyol I obtainable by subjecting at least one oligomer of the general formula I R1R2C═[═CH—R—CH═]n—CR3R4  (I) in which R=—(—CH2—)m—, in which the index m is an integer from 2 to 6, or in which X=—CH2— or an oxygen atom R1,R2,R3 and R4 independently of one another=hydrogen atoms or alkyl; and the index n=an integer from 1 to 15; to hydroformylation and reducing the resultant aldehyde-functional products I to give the polyols I, which, if desired, are subjected to partial or complete hydrogenation.

Abstract: Diisocyanates of the formula (I) where R1 is a C1-C10-hydrocarbon radical and R3 is a C1-Cl2-hydrocarbon group and n is an integer from 1 to 10, are described.

Abstract: A process for preparing alkali metal salts of L-ascorbic acid comprising the following steps: a) esterifying 2-keto-L-gulonic acid or diacetone-2-keto-L-gulonic acid with a C1-C10-alkohol in the presence of an acid catalyst, b) rearranging the resultant 2-keto-L-gulonic acid C1-C10-alkyl ester in the presence of an alkali metal C1-C10-alkoxide, comprises carrying out each of the process steps a) and b) continuously.

Abstract: An ethylene copolymer, composed of units of ethylene and at least one C3-C12 &agr;-olefin, having a molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn exceeding 3 and a distribution of comonomers which is characterized by a standard deviation &sgr; of the average-weighted elution temperature Ta, determined by the method of the Temperature Rising Elution Fraction (TREF), which conforms to the following equation GI: σ < k 4 - k 1 ⁡ ( T a - k o ) - k 2 ⁢

Abstract: Transcriptional activators which differ in their activation potential by more than 3 orders of magnitude are provided. The transactivators are fusions between a DNA binding protein (e.g., a Tet repressor) and minimal transcriptional activation domains derived from Herpes simplex virus protein 16 (VP16). Substitution mutations at amino acid position 442 within the minimal VP16 domain provide transactivators with differing transactivation ability. Moreover, chimeric activation domains comprising both wild type and mutant minimal VP16 domains provide additional variants with differing transactivation ability. Various aspects of the invention pertain to nucleic acid molecules, vectors, host cells, fusion proteins, transgenic and homologous recombinant organisms and methods of regulating gene transcription.

Abstract: An enzyme cleavable linker is prepared on which organic compounds are synthesized when the linker is bound to a solid phase. The linker contains a functional group on which a synthesized organic compound is bound when synthesis takes place, and a recognition site for a hydrolytic enzyme. Reacting the linker with the enzyme causes the linker to fragment at a site different from the recognition site to liberate the synthesized organic compound. The solid phase may be a crosslinked polyacrylamide containing an amino group for attaching the linker, and the linker is bound to the solid phase via a spacer. The spacer is attached to the solid phase by an ester, ether, amide or amine linkage, or a sulfide or phosphate linkage. In a specific reaction of forming a solid phase containing the linker, 2-acetoxy-5-hydroxymethylbenzoic acid is attached to an amino group-containing polymer via a spacer followed by conversion to a chloroformic ester.