Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of tetrasubstituted ureas by reaction of the corresponding amines with phosgene in the presence of an aqueous inorganic base at a temperature in the range from 0 to 150° C., which comprises: feeding the corresponding amine, the phosgene and the aqueous inorganic base on average continuously to the reaction apparatus, forming a two-phase system in the reaction apparatus through the choice of the tetrasubstituted ureas to be prepared, through the mixing ratios of the substances and substance mixtures to be fed in, through the temperature during the reaction and, where appropriate, through the feed of an organic solvent which is not completely miscible with water, and discharging the reaction mixture on average continuously from the reaction apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of methyl formate by reacting methanol with carbon monoxide at a pressure of from 0.5 to 10 MPa abs. and a temperature of from 50 to 150° C. in the presence of a metal alkoxide as catalyst in a reactor, in which a gas stream is withdrawn from the reactor, entrained methyl formate is removed from this gas stream by condensation, and all or some of the remaining gas stream is returned to the reactor as circulating-gas stream and a mean gas superficial velocity of from 1 to 20 cm/s is set in at least one region of the reactor in which the gas flows essentially in one direction.

Abstract: An improved method for synthesizing a double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst combines and sonicates aqueous and non-aqueous solutions of a first metal salt, such as Zn(OAc)2, of a second metal salt, such as CoCl2, and of an alkali metal cyanide, such as NaCN, to synthesize the DMC catalyst, Zn3[Co(CN)6]2. An improved method of producing a polyether polyol uses the DMC catalyst to produce the polyol.

Abstract: Process for preparing a symmetrical secondary amine by reaction of a primary amine in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst whose preparation has involved precipitation of catalytically active components onto monoclinic, tetragonal or cubic zirconium dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to expression cassettes comprising transcription regulating sequences with seed-preferential or seed-specific expression profiles in plants obtainable from Arabidopsis thaliana genes At4g12910, At1g66250, At4g00820, At2g36640, At2g34200, At3g11180, At4g00360, At2g48030, At2g38590, At1g23000, At3g15510, At3g50870, At4g00220, or At4g26320.

Abstract: A mount assembly having a support structure mounted to a frame of a vehicle and a carrier mounted to a vehicle body. The support structure is displaceable relative to the carrier along a line of travel. An insulator is disposed between the support structure and the carrier for coupling the carrier to the support structure. The insulator has a first portion defining a first resistance for isolating the vibrations of the support structure during an application of a first force along a line of travel. The insulator also has a second portion defining a second resistance with the second resistance being greater than the first resistance for controlling the maxiumum displacement of the support structure after the application of the first force and during an application of a second force along the line of travel wherein the second force is greater than the first force. The insulator also provides for tunability of the nature and location of the transition between the first resistance and the second resistance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the caprolactam content of polyamide 6 obtained especially by hydrolytic polymerization of epsilon-caprolactam. The method is characterized by the use of an additive that forms isocyanuric acid under the influence of heat. The additive or the isocyanuric acid produced externally under the influence of heat is added (a) to the polymerization or (b) to a melt of polyamide 6. This enables the caprolactam content of the polyamide 6 to be reduced considerably compared to that of usual commercial polyamide 6. In particular, the resulting polyamide 6 shows good characteristics for reprocessing e.g. into fiber and molding masses by melt extension.

Abstract: A nonaqueous coating material curable thermally or thermally and with actinic radiation, comprising (A) a hydroxyl-containing binder component comprising (A1) at least one hydroxyl-containing polyester and (A2) at least one hydroxyl-containing (meth)acrylate copolymer prepared at least partly in the presence of the polyester (A1) (B) at least one crosslinking component comprising at least one polyisocyanate, and (C) at least one low molecular mass and/or oligomeric, essentially unbranched, hydrophobic polyester having at least two hydroxyl groups in the molecule, an OH number of from 56 to 500 mg KOH/g, an acid number <10 mg KOH/g, and a number-average molecular weight Mn of from 300 to 2000 daltons; process for its preparation, and its use.

Abstract: Compounds with carbodiimide units and carboxyl or carboxylate groups (compounds V), derived from a) aliphatic or araliphatic C4 to C20 polyisocyanates (component a) b) hydroxy carboxylic acids or hydroxy carboxylic salts (component b) and c) if desired, further compounds, carrying groups able to react with isocyanate groups in an addition reaction (component c) d) if desired, other isocyanates (component d), the carbodiimide units being derived essentially exclusively from the isocyanate groups of component a).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for hydroformylating in the presence of a catalyst comprising at least one complex of a metal of transition group VIII with mono-phosphorus compounds which are capable of dimerizing via noncovalent bonds as ligands, to such catalysts and to their use.

Abstract: A polyisobutene composition having a global maximum of the differential molecular weight distribution curve at a molecular weight Mmax of from 3 500 to 8 000 is described, which comprises at least one local maximum at a molecular weight of from 112 to 560. The isobutene oligomers present act as flow improvers and boiling assistants. They are added to higher molecular weight isobutene polymers, preferably before or in the course of a distillation, for removing unconverted isobutene and/or an inert diluent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to water-soluble or water-dispersible copolymers obtainable by free-radical polymerization of a) 80 to 20% by weight of hydroxy-C1–C6-alkyl (meth)acrylate and, where appropriate, one or more compounds of the formula (A) or (B) with R1=H, C1–C6-alkyl, R2=H, CH3 R3=C1–C24-alkyl or mixtures thereof in the presence of b) 20 to 80% by weight of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and c) where appropriate 0 to 20% by weight of other polymerizable compounds (C), a process for their preparation, and their use as coating agent, binder and/or film-forming excipient in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Abstract: The invention relates to adducts that can be obtained by reacting carbonyl compounds of general formula (I) in which the variables are defined as follows: R1 and R2 are selected among hydrogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C3-C12 cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted, C7-C13 aralkyl, C6-C14 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted, whereby R1 and R2 can be bounds to one another while forming a ring.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymer compositions comprising at least one hydrophobic polymer and at least one modified polyisobutene; fibers, films, moldings and their further processing products formed from this polymer composition, a process for producing the polymer composition according to the present invention, a process for producing the fibers, films and moldings formed from the polymer composition according to the present invention; dyed polymer compositions comprising at least one hydrophobic polymer, at least one modified polyisobutene and at least one dye; and also fibers, films and moldings formed from the dyed polymer composition according to the present invention and the use of modified polyisobutenes for treating hydrophobic polymers.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the preparation of an enzyme-containing granulate wherein an aqueous enzyme-containing liquid is, optionally supplemented with a solid carrier and/or additive ingredients, processed into granules, dried and subsequently coated with a dispersion containing particles of a hydrophobic substance. The hydrophobic substance may be a hydrophobic fat- or wax-like substance or a hydrophobic polymeric compound. Preferably, the hydrophobic polymeric compound is a polyolefin, more preferably polyethylene and/or polypropylene. The thus coated enzyme granulate is suitable for the manufacture of animal feed compositions by mixing the granulate with feed ingredients, treating with steam and pelleting. The coated granulates show high enzyme stability during pelleting conditions and during storage. At the same time, the dissolution time of the granule is very short so that the bioavailability of the enzyme to the animal is improved.

Abstract: A method of preparing a finely divided emulsion from a crude emulsion is proposed where the crude emulsion is forced through a porous membrane, wherein the porous membrane is constructed from two or more superimposed layers which differ in pore diameter.

Abstract: A formulation for use in chrome-free or chrome tanning is proposed, comprising a clay mineral which, after vigorous stirring for 30 minutes in water at 50° C., has a number average particle diameter of less than 2 ?m or a bimodal size distribution with a first, finely divided fraction whose number average particle diameter is less than 0.5 ?m and a second, coarser fraction whose number average particle diameter is less than 5 ?m, determined in each case by the method according to ISO 13320-1, by combined laser light diffraction and light scattering, the amount of the first, finely divided fraction being from 10 to 90% by weight, and one or more substances from one or more of the following groups: organic polymers, aldehyde tanning agents, sulfone tanning agents, resin tanning agents, phenol tanning agents, fatliquoring agents, vegetable tanning agents, dyes and pigments.

Abstract: A composition containing a melt-processing water-free, solvent-free polyacrylate and an anti-oxidizing agent which contains at least one aromatically bonded hydroxyl group and which is exclusively comprised of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen atoms.

Abstract: The invention relates to the preparation of ultra-high purity 1,2-diaminocyclohexane-tetraacetic acid being essentially free of unwanted metal and metal ion contaminants and its use as a stabilizer for ultra-high purity hydroxylamine compounds used extensively in the production of high premium electronic components.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing foam webs by foam extrusion of a mixture of a polysulfone or polyether sulfone and a volatile blowing agent, where the blowing agent is water or a mixture of water with an inert gas or organic liquid, e.g. an alcohol or a ketone.