Abstract: A mixture (M1) comprising an alkene and oxygen is worked up by a process in which (i) oxygen is removed from the mixture (M1) by a nondistillative method to give a mixture (M2) and (ii) the alkene is separated off from the mixture (M2) by distillation.

Abstract: Liquid-crystalline compositions containing, as components, A) at least one compound of the formula I Z1—Y1—A1—Y3—M—Y4—A2—Y2—Z2  (I),  where Z1 and Z2 are each a reactive group, Y1 to Y4 are each a linking unit, A1 and A2 are each a spacer and M is a mesogenic group, B) at least one reactive compound selected from b1) vinyl or allyl ethers, b2) vinyl or allyl esters of saturated or unsaturated carboxylic acids, b3) methacrylic or acrylic esters of monofunctional or polyfunctional alcohols, b4) polyester (meth)acrylates, b5) vinylaromatics or vinylheteroaromatics, and b6) compounds of the general formula II CH2═CH—NR2—R1  (II), in which R1 and R2 are as defined in detail in the description, and C) if desired further additives.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of formic acid, comprising the following steps: a) hydrolysis of methyl formate to give a mixture of water, formic acid, methanol and excess methyl formate; b) removal of the methanol and excess methyl formate from the mixture of water, formic acid, methanol and excess methyl formate by distillation to give aqueous formic acid; c) extraction of the aqueous formic acid with at least one formic acid ester to give a mixture of said at least one formic acid ester and formic acid; d) separation of said at least one formic acid ester and formic acid by distillation. The process according to the invention enables gentle preparation of formic acid. Only very slight decomposition of formic acid occurs, and the formic acid exhibits only a slight corrosion action under the reaction conditions according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sol-gel coating material, containing (A) an acrylate copolymer solution, consisting of at least one acrylate copolymer (A1), (B) a sol which can be produced by the hydrolysis, condensation and complexing of at least one hydrolysable metal compound (B1) of the dormula (1): MRn; wherein the variable and the index have the following meanings: M=aluminium, titanium or zirconium; R=hydrolysable group, hydroxy groups and non-hydrolysable groups, with the proviso that there should be at least one, preferable two hydrolysable groups; and n=3 or 4; by the hydrolysis, condensation and complexing of at least one hydrolysable silane (B2) of the formula (II): Si(R1)2(R2)2; wherein the varible R1 and R2 have the following meanings: R1=alkyl and/or cycloalkyl radicals and R2=alkoxy and/or cycloakoxy radicals; and by the hydrolysis, condensation and complexing of at least one hydrollysable silane (B3) of the formula (III): SiR4; wherein the variable R has the afor

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for continuously preparing 5-alkoxy-substituted oxazoles, in particular for continuously preparing 4-methyl-5-alkoxy-substituted oxazoles and also a process for preparing pyridoxine derivatives.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing diacetals of glyoxal by reacting from 40 to 75% by weight aqueous glyoxal with monohydric alcohols in the presence of an acid catalyst, which comprises leaving a liquid mixture which, at the beginning of the reaction, comprises alcohol and glyoxal in a molar ratio of at least 15:1 and also water in a concentration of not more than 8% by weight in contact with the acid catalyst until concentration in the reaction mixture of the diacetal formed reaches at least 70% of the equilibrium concentration without more than 5% by weight of the alcohol used having already been distilled off.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for hydrolyzing optically active amides to carboxylic acids and optically active amines with retention of the center of chirality, where the hydrolysis of the amides is carried out with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxide in the presence of 5-30% by weight, based on the amide employed, of a polyol or an amino alcohol.

Abstract: A process for working up at least partially deactivated polymerization catalysts for the polymerization or copolymerization of THF which are contaminated with the products of the polymerization or copolymerization of THF comprises (a) in a first step, cleaning the polymerization catalyst by treatment with steam at from 80 to 250° C. and a pressure of from 0.5 to 40 bar and, preferably, (b) in a second step, regenerating the clean polymerization catalyst.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for color matching are provided, in which paint recipe neural networks are utilized. The color of a standard is expressed as color values. The neural network includes an input layer having nodes for receiving input data related to paint bases. Weighted connections connect to the nodes of the input layer and have coefficients for weighting the input data. An output layer having nodes are either directly or indirectly connected to the weighted connections and generates output data related to color values. The data to the input layer and the data from the output layer are interrelated through the neural network's nonlinear relationship. The paint color matching neural network can be used for, but not limited to, color formula correction, matching from scratch, effect pigment identification, selection of targets for color tools, searching existing formulas for the closest match, identification of formula mistakes, development of color tolerances and enhancing conversion routines.

Abstract: A method of forming a polyol includes the steps of reacting an initiator with an alkylene oxide, and optionally carbon dioxide, in the presence of a double metal cyanide catalyst and a sterically hindered chain transfer agent capable of protonating the growing polyol polymer. The presence of the chain transfer agent reduces the polydispersity of the resultant polyol.

Abstract: A layered composite sheet or layered composite film made from thermoformable thermoplastics or mixtures of thermoplastics comprises at least one substrate layer and at least one outer layer. The outer layer comprises a lubricant.

Abstract: The invention relates to polycarbamates of the formula I in which R and R′ are identical or different and are alkyl groups having 1-4 carbon atoms and n is a number from, on average, 2 to 5.

Abstract: A process for preparing aqueous polymer dispersions by means of a polymerization, conducted in an aqueous system, of at least one free-radically polymerisable ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the presence of a polymerisation initiator, wherein the pH of the aqueous dispersion is adjusted during the preparation process by adding at least two different, basic reagents, at least one of said basic reagents being added in a plurality of stages.

Abstract: A process for regenerating a zeolite catalyst comprises the following stages: (I) Heating a partially or completely deactivated catalyst to 250-600° C. in an atmosphere which contains less than 2% by volume of oxygen, (II) treating the catalyst at from 250 to 800° C., preferably from 350 to 600° C., with a gas stream which contains from 0.1 to 4% by volume of an oxygen-donating substance or of oxygen or of a mixture of two or more thereof, and (III) treating the catalyst at from 250 to 800° C., preferably from 350 to 600° C., with a gas stream which contains from more than 4 to 100% by volume of an oxygen-donating substance or of oxygen or of a mixture of two or more thereof.

Abstract: A powder-based coating composition for coating a substrate, having a first color effect, with a film layer is disclosed. Application of the film layer to the substrate produces a second color effect different from the first color effect. The composition includes a powder-based binder and a color effect-providing pigment. The powder-based binder is the reaction product of a resin, having a functional group, and a cross-linking agent reactive with the functional group. The color effect-providing pigment includes a pigment substrate and an inorganic coating. The pigment substrate has first and second substantially parallel and planar surfaces, and the inorganic coating is disposed on the first and second surfaces. The inorganic coating has an index of refraction of 1.8 or less. To produce the second color effect, the inorganic coating and the pigment substrate of the color effect-providing pigment interact with the first color effect of the substrate upon application of the film layer to the substrate.

Abstract: A process for continuous production of crosslinked fine particles of polymer gel by copolymerizing a) water-soluble monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, b) from 0.001 to 5 mol % based on the monomers (a) of monomers containing at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds, and c) from 0 to 20 mol % based on the monomers (a) of water-insoluble monoethylenically unsaturated monomers in from 20 to 80% by weight aqueous solution in the presence of an initiator at from 0 to 140° C.

Abstract: The instant invention provides carbamate functional polymers and/or oligomers and coating compositions containing such which have improved levels of nonvolatile solids yet demonstrate good sprayability and etch resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed are a detersive composition comprising a water-soluble or water-dispersible block copolymer preparable by controlled free-radical polymerization, a process for preparing such a detersive composition and the use of water-soluble or water-dispersible block copolymers preparable by controlled free-radical polymerization for preparing detersive compositions.

Abstract: An aqueous polymer dispersion whose polymer, present in disperse distribution, is composed in free-radically polymerized form of from 20 to 65% by weight of at least one vinylaromatic monomer (monomers A), from 30 to 75% by weight of at least one monomer having two conjugated, ethylenically unsaturated double bonds (monomers B), and from 0.5 to 10% by weight of at least one other monomer, C, selected from the group consisting of &agr;,&bgr;-monoethyienically unsaturated mono- and dicarboxylic acids and amide or ester derivatives thereof and whose alkali metal ion content GA, based on the mass of the dispersed polymer, is ≧0.5% by weight, the pH of the aqueous dispersion medium being adjusted to a value below 6.

Abstract: An aqueous polymer dispersion having a minimum film-forming temperature of below +65° C.