Abstract: A process is proposed for preparing acid formates in which a liquid stream I comprising formic acid and a liquid stream II comprising a metal formate are prepared, the liquid streams I and II are fed to a rectification column in such a manner that a higher or identical feed point to the rectification column is chosen for the liquid stream II than for the liquid stream I, the liquid streams I and II are mixed in the rectification column, with water being removed overhead from the rectification column and a bottoms stream comprising the acid formate is taken off from the rectification column, which comprises the bottoms stream being produced as melt comprising less than 0.5% by weight of water.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for the identification and use of introns with gene expression enhancing properties. The teaching of this invention enables the identification of introns causing intron-mediated enhancement (IME) of gene expression. The invention furthermore relates to recombinant expression construct and vectors comprising said IME-introns operably linked with a promoter sequence and a nucleic acid sequence. The present invention also relates to transgenic plants and plant cells transformed with these recombinant expression constructs or vectors, to cultures, parts or propagation material derived there from, and to the use of same for the preparation of foodstuffs, animal feeds, seed, pharmaceuticals or fine chemicals, to improve plant biomass, yield, or provide desirable phenotypes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to enzymes from the cytochrome P450 family and to the nucleotide sequences encoding them, and to their use in a method for the generation of pathogen-resistant plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel proton-conducting polymer membrane based on polyazoles which can, because of its excellent chemical and thermal properties, be used in a variety of ways and is particularly useful as polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) to produce membrane electrode units for PEM fuel cells.

Abstract: A process for purifying removal of crystals from their suspension in mother liquor by means of a washing column having forced transport in which the process chamber is encased by a metal wall which, on its side facing away from the process chamber, is heated at least along the length of the pure melt zone.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved hydrocarbon adsorbent slurry washcoat formulation, which can be used for controlling evaporative hydrocarbon emissions from a motor vehicle. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an improved slurry composition of the present invention comprises one or more hydrocarbon adsorbent materials, and an organic polymer binder containing an anionic dispersant and/or stabilizing pH. The binder is used to improve the adhesion of the hydrocarbon adsorbent to the surface of the fuel storage, fuel delivery, or air intake system component.

Abstract: Hydrophobically modified polymers containing vinylamine or ethylenimine units and obtainable by reacting (a) polymers containing vinylamine or ethylenimine units with (b) compounds of the formula R-A-(EO, PO, BuO)n—X??(I), where R is C4- to C26-alkyl or C4- to C26-alkenyl, A is O, NH or COO, EO is an ethylene oxide unit, PO is a propylene oxide unit, BuO is a butylene oxide unit, n is from 1 to 250 and X is a functional group which can be covalently bonded to an OH group, process for the preparation of hydrophobically modified polymers containing vinylamine or ethylenimine units by reacting polymers containing vinylamine or ethylenimine units with a water repellent of the formula I and use of the polymers thus obtainable as an additive to paperstock in papermaking.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing 3-pentenenitrile, characterized by the following process steps: (a) reacting 1,3-butadiene with hydrogen cyanide over at least one catalyst to obtain a stream 1 which comprises 3-pentenenitrile, 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, the at least one catalyst and 1,3-butadiene, (b) distilling stream 1 in a column to obtain a high-1,3-butadiene stream 2 as the top product and a low-1,3-butadiene stream 3 as the bottom product which comprises 3-pentenenitrile, the at least one catalyst and 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, (c) distilling stream 3 in a column to obtain a stream 4 as the top product which comprises 1,3-butadiene, a stream 5 which comprises 3-pentenenitrile and 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile at a side draw of the column, and a stream 6 as the bottom product which comprises the at least one catalyst, (d) distilling stream 5 to obtain a stream 7 as the top product which comprises 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, and a stream 8 as the bottom product which comprises 3-pentenenitrile.

Abstract: A uretonimine-modified isocyanate composition having reduced color and a method of forming the same is disclosed. The method of forming the uretonimine-modified isocyanate composition comprises providing a polyisocyanate composition having two or more isocyanate groups and reacting the polyisocyanate composition at a temperature in a range of from about 80° C. to about 130° C. and in the presence of a catalyst. The reaction of the polyisocyanate composition is quenched with a quenching agent and a color inhibitor having a low basicity and having at least one hindered amine group is added. The uretonimine-modified isocyanate composition has a color value corresponding to an a* value of greater than about ?10 and a b* value less than about 10 as defined by CIE L*a*b* (CIELAB) Color Space Specification and undergoes a % NCO group decrease of less than about 6 %.

Abstract: A process for preparing xylylenediamine, comprising the steps of ammoxidizing xylene to phthalonitrile, by contacting the vaporous product of the ammoxidation stage directly with a liquid organic solvent (quench), and hydrogenating the phthalonitrile in the resulting quench solution or suspension, wherein the organic solvent is N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP).

Abstract: Dicyanoalkane compounds of formula (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and A are defined as in the description, or the enantiomers or diastereomers or salts thereof are subject matter of the present invention. Further also processes and intermediates for preparing the compounds of formula (I), as well as pesticidal compositions comprising compounds of formula (I). Methods for controlling insects, acarids or nematodes, methods for treating, controlling, preventing or protecting animals against infestation or infection and methods for protecting and treating seeds are also subject matter of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for making 1,4-butanediol, 1,4-butenediol, or a mixture thereof by processing 1,4-butynediol in a dynamic mixing apparatus in an inert gas atmosphere at from 25 to 150° C. at a shear rate in the radial gap between rotor and stator of the mixing apparatus of more than 100 000 sec?1; phase separating the processed 1,4-butynediol at a temperature of from 25 to 150° C.; removing a bottom phase to obtain purified 1,4-butynediol; and reacting the purified 1,4-butynediol with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a copolymer (A) of olefinically unsaturated monomers (a), prepared by single-stage or multistage controlled free-radical copolymerization in an aqueous medium of monomers comprising: (a1) an olefinically unsaturated monomer comprising a chelate-forming group; and (a2) an olefinically unsaturated monomer different from the olefinically unsaturated monomer (a1), and selected from the group consisting of: (a21) monomers of the general formula I: R1R2C?CR3R4 (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, and R4 are independently hydrogen atoms or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkylcycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, cycloalkylaryl, arylalkyl or arylcycloalkyl radicals, with the proviso that at least two of R1, R2, R3, and R4 are substituted or unsubstituted aryl, arylalkyl or arylcycloalkyl radicals; (a22) an olefinically unsaturated terpene hydrocarbon; and (a23) a dimeric alpha-alkylvinylaromatic.

Abstract: A transgenic plant transformed by a phosphatase stress-related protein (PHSRP) coding nucleic acid, wherein expression of the nucleic acid sequence in the plant results in increased tolerance to environmental stress as compared to a wild type variety of the plant. Also provided are agricultural products, including seeds, produced by the transgenic plants. Also provided are isolated PHSRPs, and isolated nucleic acid coding PHSRPs, and vectors and host cells containing the latter.

Abstract: Sorbents for removal of mercury and other pollutants from gas streams, such as a flue gas stream from coal-fired utility plants, and methods for their manufacture and use are disclosed. Embodiments include brominated sorbent substrate particles having a carbon content of less than about 10%. Other embodiments include one or more oxidatively active halides of a nonoxidative metal dispersed on sorbent substrate particles mixed with activated carbon in an amount up to 30% by weight.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photovoltaic cell comprising a photovoltaically active semiconductor material, wherein the photovoltaically active semiconductor material is a p- or n-doped semiconductor material comprising a binary compound of the formula (I) or a ternary compound of the formula (II): ZnTe??(I) Zn1-xMnxTe??(II) where x is from 0.01 to 0.99, and a particular proportion of tellurium ions in the photovoltaically active semiconductor material has been replaced by halogen ions and nitrogen ions and the halogen ions are selected from the group consisting of fluoride, chloride and bromide and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas pressure container having a minimum volume of 1 m3 and a prescribed maximum filling pressure for the uptake, storage and delivery of a fuel gas which is gaseous under storage conditions and is suitable for powering a vehicle by combustion of the fuel gas, wherein the gas pressure vessel has a filter through which the fuel gas can flow at least during uptake or during delivery, with the filter being suitable for removing possible impurities in the fuel gas from the stream and the impurities being able to reduce the storage capacity for the fuel gas of an adsorbent used for the storage of the fuel gas. The invention further relates to the use of such a gas pressure container for filling a further gas pressure container which is present in or on a vehicle and comprises an adsorbent for the storage of the fuel gas.

Abstract: Cosmetic composition for the treatment of keratin-containing materials, mucosa and teeth, comprising at least one hydrophobin polypeptide sequence (i) (I) Xn-C1-X1-50-C2-X0-5-C3-Xp-C4-X1-100-C5-X1-50-C6- X0-5-C7-X1-50-C8-Xm

Abstract: The invention relates to a photovoltaic cell comprising a photovoltaically active semiconductor material, wherein the photovoltaically active semiconductor material is a p- or n-doped semiconductor material comprising mixed compounds of the formula (I): (Zn1?xMnxTe)1?y(SiaTeb)y ??(I) where x is from 0.01 to 0.99, y is from 0.01 to 0.2, a is from 1 to 2 and b is from 1 to 3.

Abstract: The invention relates to a capacitor having a porous electrically conductive substrate on whose inner and outer surfaces a first layer of a dielectric and an electrically conductive second layer are applied. The invention also relates to a method for the production of such capacitors and to their use in electrical and electronic circuits.