Abstract: .gamma.-butyrolactones of the general formula I ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms which may be substituted by lower alkoxy or acyloxy and R.sup.2 is hydrogen or straight-chain or branched alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by a functional group or is aryl, are prepared by reacting an alkylene oxide of the general formula II ##STR2## with an acylacetate of the general formla III ##STR3## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 have the above meanings and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms or aryl, and R.sup.4 may furthermore be hydrogen, in the presence of a catalyst at elevated temperatures, by a process in which the reaction is carried out in the presence of an alkali metal halide, of an ammonium halide, preferably a quaternary ammonium halide, of a phosphonium halide, of an alkali metal phosphate or of an alkali metal carbonate at from 20.degree. to 200.degree. C. and under from 1 to 50 bar.

Abstract: Molding materials having a long shelf life consist of an unsaturated polyester resin, monomers, conventional additives and an inhibitor combination comprising a phenol or quinone, a phosphine or an ester of phosphorous acid, and a metal cation in the form of a salt or a complex which is soluble in the polyester resin.

Abstract: Aldehydes are removed from .alpha.,.beta.-olefinically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids of 3 or 4 carbon atoms by adding hydrazine derivatives and distilling the unsaturated monocarboxylic acids if the hydrazine derivatives used are aminoguanidine and/or aminoguanidine salts in amounts of from 1 to 3 moles per mole of aldehyde.

Abstract: A silver catalyst containing lithium and cesium as promoters for the direct oxidation of ethylene with oxygen to give ethylene oxide is applied to a porous carrier and essentially consists of .alpha.-alumina and contains certain amounts of soluble calcium, aluminum, potassium and sodium salts. The carrier has a BET surface area of from 0.4 to 0.8 m.sup.2 /g, a pore volume of not less than 0.45 ml/g, the pores being equally accessible to cold and warm water, a bulk density of less than 700 kg/m.sup.3 and a shape which, in the reactor, provides a geometrical surface area of not less than 600 m.sup.2 /m.sup.3, on which more than 13% by weight of silver are applied as active component and more than 115 kg of silver are available per m.sup.3 of reactor, and from 100 to 300 ppm by weight of lithium and from 200 to 600 ppm by weight of cesium are present as promoters. A process for the preparation of the silver catalyst and its use for the oxidation of ethylene are described.

Abstract: Carbon black and ash containing wastewaters from high-temperature processes in which the carbon black is present in an extremely finely divided and partly colloidal state are cleaned and disposed of by treatment with organic flocculants, predewatering of the flocculated suspension by gravity filtration and post-dewatering of the carbon black sludge by pressure filtration within the range from 0.5 to 15 bar in a process comprising adding sufficient calcium hydroxide to the wastewaters that the pH of an aqueous extract of the filter cake obtained is more than 11.8, preferably more than 12.0.

Abstract: Cylindrical microtablets which have a convex upper face and a convex lower face and whose cylinder diameter and height independently of one another are each from 1.0 to 2.5 mm and the ratio of the said diameter to said height is from 1:0.5 to 1:1.5, an a process for their preparation.

Abstract: Oxidizable for organic and/or inorganic compounds in waters are subjected to catalytic degradation using a catalyst applied to an oxygen-storing inert carrier, for example of graphite, coke, a non-gassing coal or active carbon. The carrier used is coated with a cationic dye complexed with heteropolyacids and/or polyacids and/or salts or metal acids of subgroups V to VIII.The advantages of the process include the prevention of biological growth on the catalyst surface by the biocidal dye cation and the avoidance of calcium and magnesium deposits on the catalyst surface through the presence of the cationic solid.

Abstract: Methanol/air fuel cells consisting of(A) a cathode,(B) an anode and(C) A CO.sub.2 -permeable anion exchanger membrane as the electrolyte.

Abstract: A method of joining the edges of flexographic printing plates on printing cylinders, which includes the following steps:(i) fixing the printing plates to make-ready cylinders by means of a first double-sided self-adhesive film having the same area as the printing plate,(ii) cutting the printing plates to size so that they fit the printing cylinders,(iii) removing the cut printing plates from the make-ready cylinders and from the first self-adhesive films,(iv) fixing the cut printing plates by means of a second double-sided self-adhesive film, which has the same area as the printing plates and from 1.6 to 2.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium for test purposes, in particular for calibrating flying heads, consists of a firm substrate which has a raised calibration area in the form of an arc-shaped step of defined length, width, height and hardness. Sharp initial and end edges in conjunction with a defined minimum arc length give easily evaluated measured signals in the low frequency range. The test recording medium can be used for any type of magnetic layer on recording media and/or for heads associated with these.

Abstract: Oxime ethers of the formula ##STR1## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are hydrogen or alkyl, X(m=1 to 5) is halogen, cyano, trifluoromethyl, nitro, alkyl, alkoxy, unsubstituted or substituted phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted phenoxy, unsubstituted or substituted benzyloxy or hydrogen, and Y is methyleneoxy, oxymethylene, ethylene, ethynylene or oxygen, and fungicides containing these compounds.

Abstract: A layer element comprises a base having a hydrophobic surface and, applied on this, one or more solid, thin, ordered layers of defined uniform and regular structure, in particular monolayers or multilayers, having a uniform orientation of the layer-forming molecules in one direction. The said layers are formed from a metallomacrocyclic polymer which is fusible and/or soluble in an organic, water-immiscible solvent and is of the general formula [M(Pcyc)O].sub.n, where M is Si, Ge or Sn, (Pcyc) is a complex-forming centrosymmetric polycyclic ring system, in particular a phthalocyanine ring system having hydrophobic substituents, and n is the mean degree of polymerization and is equal to or greater than 3. The novel layer elements can advantageously be produced by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, in which a solid-like monolayer produced on a water surface from the metallomacrocyclic polymers is transferred to a substrate having a hydrophobic surface by immersion and withdrawal of the said substrate.

Abstract: An optical recording medium containing a storage layer and, if required, one or two substrate layers, the storage layer containing graphite as the storage material, a process for the production of the novel optical recording medium, and its use as a Read Only Memory information carrier.

Abstract: Quinoline derivatives of the formula ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are hydrogen, methyl, halogen or nitro, R.sup.5 is a thiophene, pyrrole, oxazole, thiazole, imidazole, isoxazole, isothiazole, pyrazole, thiadiazole, oxadiazole or triazole radical which is substituted or unsubstituted, or is a substituted furan radical, and microbicidal agents containing these compounds.

Abstract: Primary, secondary and tertiary amines are prepared by reacting ammonia or a primary amine with a primary or secondary monohydric or polyhydric alcohol over a copper catalyst such as that which forms of its own accord from copper formate under the reaction conditions.

Abstract: 2-Hydroxy-3-aminopropionic-N,N-diacetic acid and derivatives thereof are used in particular as complexing agents, bleaching agent stabilizers and builders in detergents.

Abstract: The invention pertains to flame retardant flexible polyurethane foams resistant to cigarette smoldering after being subjected to flex fatigue prepared by reacting a polyether polyol, an organic isocyanate, and a blowing agent incorporating melamine in an amount ranging from about 5 weight percent to about 25 weight percent.

Abstract: Alkoxysilanes containing low levels of chlorine compounds are prepared by stepwise etherification of chlorosilanes with alcohols in liquid phase and removal of the resulting hydrogen chloride by reacting the alkoxysilane obtained, which still contains a small amount of chlorine compound, with a metal alkoxide in an amount which corresponds to a small stoichiometric excess based on the proportion of chlorine compound, and freeing the reaction product from the resulting salt.

Abstract: Lamellar pigments are based on iron oxide of the general formula Mn.sub.X Al.sub.Y Fe.sub.2 -(X+Y)O.sub.3, where X is from 0.01 to 0.06 and Y is from 0 to 0.2. The pigments are prepared by hydrothermal treatment of an aqueous suspension which contains an iron hydroxide or iron oxide hydroxide,and an alkali metal hydroxide and/or alkali metal carbonate, in the presence of a manganese compound which is soluble in the reaction medium and in the presence or absence of an aluminum compound.The pigments are used for pigmenting coatings, printing inks, finishes, plastics, ceramic surfaces, glasses and cosmetic products.

Abstract: Toughened heat-curable bismaleimide resin systems which contain alkenylphenoxy-terminated polysiloxane modifiers and compatibilizing agents. Cured resin systems exhibit increased toughness without a concomitant decrease in thermal stability at elevated temperatures.