Abstract: Process for the preparation of alkali metal salts of glycine or of racemic ?-amino acids of the general formula (I) R1—CH(NH2)—COOH??(I) in which R1 is selected from hydrogen, CH3, C2H5, CH(CH3)2, (CH2)2COOH and CH2OH, wherein an alkali metal salt of the corresponding ?-ketocarboxylic acid or glyoxalic acid is reacted in the presence of at least one heterogeneous catalyst, which comprises at least one transition metal, in the presence of hydrogen with at least one nitrogen compound at temperatures in the range from 50 to 200° C., where the nitrogen compound is selected from primary and secondary amines and ammonia.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite component comprising an unfoamed polymer phase and a foamed phase, and to a process for producing the same.

Abstract: Nucleic acids and the encoded CER2-like polypeptides, At1g68440-like polypeptides or DEAD-box RNA helicase polypeptides are provided. A method of enhancing yield-related traits in plants by modulating expression of nucleic acids encoding CER2-like polypeptides or At1g68440-like polypeptides is provided. A method of enhancing yield-related traits in plants by reducing or substantially eliminating expression of nucleic acids encoding DEAD-box RNA helicase polypeptides and/or the activity of DEAD-box RNA helicase polypeptides in said plants is provided. Plants with modulated expression of the nucleic acids encoding CER2-like polypeptides or At1g68440-like polypeptides have enhanced yield-related traits relative to control plants. Plants with reduction or elimination of the expression of endogenous nucleic acids encoding DEAD-box RNA helicase polypeptides have enhanced yield-related traits relative to control plants.

Abstract: Process for producing polyamides that are stable during processing, by treating the polyamide during the solid-phase postcondensation process with a gas which comprises carrier gas (inert gas), water, and acid, or an anhydride or lactone or a mixture of these or, respectively, comprises ammonia, or amine, or a mixture of these, at a temperature from 130 to 200° C. and at a pressure of from 0.01 to 10 bar.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for draining and rinsing containers filled with fluid, comprising an accommodating unit for accommodating the container and comprising a removal unit, which has a removal line, a coupling connected to the removal line for connecting the a removal opening of the container, and a pumping apparatus by means of which the fluid in the container can be pumped out of the container, and comprising a rinsing unit, which has a rinsing pin, a rinsing line connected to the rinsing pin, and a control apparatus, wherein the rinsing pin can be moved by means of the control apparatus in such a way that the rinsing pin automatically pierces a wall of the container and rinses out the container after the container has been drained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tray for a mass transfer column, having gas passage openings distributed over the tray (1), and having at least one baffle (11) for flow diversion of liquid flowing on the tray, it being possible for the tray (1) to be fed with a liquid via at least one entry (3). The tray has at least one entry (3), at least one separating weir (5), which separates the inflowing liquid into two streams, and at least two exits (12), or has at least two entries (3) and at least one exit (12) for the liquid, each stream flowing along a flow path (7; 9) to an exit (12). The invention further relates to a mass transfer column comprising the tray, and to a use of tray and mass transfer column.

Abstract: The invention in principle pertains to the field of recombinant manufacture of fatty acids. It provides novel nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding fatty acid desaturases, elongases, acyltransferases, terminator sequences and high expressing seed-specific promoters operatively linked to the said nucleic acid sequences wherein nucleic acid expression enhancing nucleic acids (NEENAs) are functionally linked to said promoters.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of dintrotoluene which comprises (a) nitrating toluene with a nitrating acid, wherein said nitrating acid is a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid, in one or more nitration steps, and separating the nitrating acid from the process stream thus formed, wherein a crude mixture comprising dinitrotoluene and a fraction of said nitrating acid dissolved therein is obtained, said crude mixture further comprising at least 50 ppm of HCN, and (b) washing the crude dinitrotoluene containing mixture in one or more washing steps, wherein, before the first washing step is carried out, the crude mixture is distilled and/or stripped to remove HCN therefrom, wherein a crude dinitrotoluene containing mixture which is essentially free of HCN is obtained.

Abstract: Novel derivatives of tris(2-hydroxyphenyl)methanes which have, as functional groups, polyalkoxy groups unmodified or modified with terminal hydrophilic groups, preparation of such compounds and use thereof, especially for mineral oil production.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of 2-substituted 4-hydroxy-4-methyltetrahydropyrans by reacting 3-methylbut-3-en-1-ol (isoprenol) with the corresponding alkenealdehydes in the presence of a strongly acidic ion exchanger with subsequent hydrogenation. Specifically, the present invention relates to a corresponding process for the preparation of 2-isobutyl-4-hydroxy-4-methyltetrahydropyran by reacting isoprenol with prenal, with subsequent hydrogenation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for imparting a simulated patina, or antique appearance to a substrate by using a coating composition comprising a perlite based effect pigment. The perlite based effect pigment functions as colorant and matting agent and shows an almost angle independent brightness. The process provides, for example, decorative wall coatings showing enhanced antique, or patina effects as compared to conventional effect pigments on basis of mica.

Abstract: Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which, in step (a), a liquid stream comprising formic acid, methanol, water and tertiary amine (I) is produced by combining methyl formate, water and tertiary amine (I), from there in step (b), methanol is separated off and in step (c), formic acid is removed by distillation from the liquid stream obtained in a distillation apparatus, wherein, when methyl formate, water and tertiary amine (I) are combined, methyl formate, water and optionally tertiary amine (I) are first introduced in step (a1) in a molar ratio of 0?n(amine to a1)/n(mefo to a1)?0.1, and from 70 to 100% of the hydrolysis equilibrium possible is set and then, in step (a2), tertiary amine (I) is introduced in a molar ratio of 0.1?n(amine to a2)/n(mefo to a1)?2, and the mixture is reacted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible polyurethane foam comprising viable and/or germinated plant seeds. The flexible polyurethane foam may comprise a reinforcing fabric composed of fibers, for example synthetic-polymer fibers or rottable natural fibers. The flexible polyurethane foam may further comprise a substance having high water-holding capacity, for example a polyacrylate-based superabsorbent. By way of plant seeds the flexible polyurethane foam may comprise seeds of grasses, mosses, lichens, ferns, fungi, aquatic plants, flowering plants and perennial woody plants. The flexible polyurethane foam is obtained by mixing (a) polyisocyanates with (b) at least one comparatively high molecular weight compound having at least two reactive hydrogen atoms, (c) optionally low molecular weight chain-extending agents and/or crosslinking agents, (d) catalysts, (e) blowing agents, (f) optionally other added-substance materials and (g) plant seeds and reacting the mixture to form the flexible polyurethane foam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for at least partly coating a metallic substrate, at least comprising at least partly coating the substrate with an autophoretically depositable coating composition (step (1)) and contacting, with an aqueous sol-gel composition, the substrate at least partly coated with the autophoretically deposited coating composition (step (2)), to an at least partly coated substrate obtainable by this method, and to the use of an aqueous sol-gel composition for aftertreating a coating composition applied to a substrate at least partly by autophoretic deposition, by contacting the autophoretically deposited coating composition with the aqueous sol-gel composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photoactive material comprising a donor substance and an acceptor substance, wherein the donor substance comprises or consists of one or more compounds of formula (I) described herein, or the acceptor substance comprises or consists of one or more compounds of formula (I) described herein, or the donor substance comprises or consists of a first compound of formula (I) described herein and the acceptor substance comprises a second compound of formula (I) described herein with the proviso that the first and second compound are not the same, as well as to an organic solar cell comprising said photoactive material. The present invention also relates to a photoelectric conversion device comprising or consisting of two or more organic solar cells comprising said photoactive material and to compounds of formula (I) as described herein for use as donor substance or as acceptor substance in a photoactive material.

Abstract: A shaped article is produced from a sheetlike fibrous nonwoven web and an aqueous polymeric dispersion.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a coating composition comprising: MnxOy, MnCr2O4, or combinations thereof in a first region of a coating having a first thickness, wherein x and y are integers between 1 and 7; and X6W6(Siz, C1-z) in a second region of the coating having a second thickness, wherein X is Ni or a mixture of Ni and one or more transition metals and z ranges from 0 to 1.

Abstract: A process for recharging the reaction tubes of a tube bundle reactor with a new fixed catalyst bed, in which a heterogeneously catalyzed partial gas phase oxidation of an organic compound had been performed beforehand in a preceding fixed catalyst bed comprising Mo-comprising multielement oxide active compositions to form a steam-comprising product gas mixture, in which, before the recharge, solid deposit which had been deposited on the tube inner walls and comprises molybdenum oxide and/or molybdenum oxide hydrate is brushed away with the aid of a brush.

Abstract: The invention relates to N-substituted hetero-bicyclic compounds of formula (I), to the enantiomers, diastereomers and salts thereof and to compositions comprising such compounds. The invention also relates to methods and uses of these N-substituted hetero-bicyclic compounds, and of compositions comprising thereof, for combating and controlling animal pests. Furthermore the invention relates also to pesticidal methods of applying such N-substituted hetero-bicyclic compounds. The N-substituted hetero-bicyclic compounds of the present invention are defined by the following formula I: wherein A, B, X, Het, R1, R2, W1, W2, W3 and W4 are defined as in the description.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous process for producing insulated pipes comprising a conveying pipe, a jacketing pipe, a layer made of at least one polyurethane between conveying pipe and jacketing pipe, and a foil tube between the at least one polyurethane and the jacketing pipe, comprising at least the steps of (A) in a gripper-belt system, providing a foil tube formed continuously from a foil, and providing a conveying pipe, where the arrangement has the conveying pipe within the foil tube in such a way that an annular gap is formed between conveying pipe and foil tube, (B) charging a polyurethane system comprising at least one isocyanate component (a) and at least one polyol mixture (b) to the annular gap, (C) foaming the polyurethane system and allowing the same to harden, and (D) applying a layer made of at least one thermoplastic to the foil tube via extrusion, in order to form the jacketing pipe, which comprises using a multiple nozzle system having curvature corresponding to the radius of