Abstract: Process for the production of concentrated aqueous solutions of hydrogen peroxide, comprising the following steps: (a) feeding to a reactor containing a catalyst based on palladium and platinum, heterogeneous and maintained in dispersion in a liquid reaction medium: (i) a liquid stream consisting of an alcohol or a mixture of C1–C3 alcohols or a mixture of said alcohols with water containing at least 50% by weight of alcohol, also containing an acid promoter and a halogenated promoter, the alcohol and optionally all or part of the water contained in the stream being recycled from the subsequent phase d); (ii) a gaseous stream containing hydrogen, oxygen and an inert gas, characterized in that the concentration of the hydrogen is less than 4.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of phenol comprising the following phases: 1) preparation in continuous of phenol by means of the direct oxidation of benzene with hydrogen peroxide operating with an H2O2/benzene ratio ranging from 10 to 70%, in a three-phase reaction system comprising a first liquid phase consisting of benzene and an organic solvent, a second liquid phase consisting of water, a solid phase consisting of an activated catalyst based on titanium silicalite TS-1; 2) separation of the phenol and non-reacted benzene from the reaction mixture of the oxidation section (1), by means of fractionated distillation; 3) separation of the solvent and by-products from the mixture coming from the distillation tail (2), by means of basic extraction; 4) transformation of the by-products obtain in section (3) to phenol by means of hydrodeoxygenation with hydrogen operating in continuous, in aqueous solution, at a temperature ranging from 250 to 500° C.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of low branch content polybutadiene comprising: (a) a first butadiene polymerisation stage; (b) treatment of the polymer solution obtained upon completion of stage (a) with a coupling agent selected from: (i) polyunsaturated natural oils; (ii) butadiene and/or isoprene oligomers; (iii) butadiene and/or isoprene co-polymers with vinylarene monomers; the unsaturations present in compounds (i)-(iii) being at least partially substituted with groups selected from epoxides, anhydrides and esters; (c) recovery of the low branch content polybutadiene obtained upon completion of stage (b)

Abstract: Process for the preparation of polybutadiene with a low branching degree which comprises: (a) a first polymerization step of butadiene in the presence of organic solvents and in the presence of a catalytic system comprising (a1) a derivative of neodymium; (a2) an aluminum alkyl having general formula (I) AlR1R2R3; (a3) an organo aluminum derivative containing at least one halogen atom, preferably chlorine; the above first step being carried out up to a conversion of butadiene >98% to give a linear polybutadiene (gm=1) with a content of 1,4-cis units greater than 93% and a Mw/Mn ranging from 2.2 to 2.9; (b) treatment of the polymeric solution obtained at the end of step (a) with a peroxide, (c) recovery of the polybutadiene with a low branching degree obtained at the end of step (b).

Abstract: An elastomeric composition vulcanizable with sulfur and/or sulfur donors useful for the preparation of tyres, which comprises: a) 100 parts of an elastomeric mixture comprising from 20 to 100% by weight, preferably from 60 to 100% by weight, of a functionalized elastomer (a1), from 0 to 80% by weight of a non-functionalized elastomer (a2) selected from monovinylarene-conjugated diene statistic copolymers, natural rubber, polybutadiene: b) from 10 to 150 parts of silica per 100 parts of (a); c) from 0 to 150 parts of carbon black per 100 parts of (a).

Abstract: Expandable vinylaromatic polymers which comprise: a) a matrix obtained by polymerizing 50-100% by weight of one or more vinylaromatic monomers and 0.50% by weight of a copolymerizable monomer; b) 1-10% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of an expanding agent englobed in the polymeric matrix; c) 0.05-25% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of an inorganic filler homogeneously distributed in the polymeric matrix with a substantially spherical granulometry, an average diameter ranging from 0.01 to 100 ?m, a refraction index higher than 1.6 and a white index, as defined in “Colour Index” (third edition published by the Society of Dyers and Colourists, 1982), equal to or lower than 22.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of viscosity index improver (V.I.I.) additives which includes treatment under high shear conditions of a composition comprising (i) one or more EP(D)M polymers and (ii) one or more polyvinylarene/hydrogenated conjugated diene/polyvinylarene block copolymers, the weight ratio (i)/(ii) ranging from 98:2 to 80:20, preferably from 97:3 to 90:10, the above process being carried out at a temperature ranging from 150° C. to 400° C., preferably from 180° C. to 320° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a supported catalyst containing titanium, its preparation and it use in the homo-, co-, and ter-polymerization of olefin-unsaturated compounds. The present invention also relates to a catalytic system comprising a supported catalyst based on titanium and a co-catalyst selected from organo-derivatives of aluminum. More, specifically, the present invention relates to catalyst supported on silica, obtained by reacting a titanium halocarboxylate and a magnesium halocarboxylate with an aluminum chloroakylderivative, in the presente of a carrier consisting of high porosity silica. The above reaction essentially takes place in the pores of the silica itself.

Abstract: The present invention relates to metallocene compounds consisting of indenyl-cyclopentadienyl groups non-symmetrically joined by a bivalent radical. Said compounds can be conveniently used as components of catalysts for the polymerization of olefins.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of latices based on polychloroprene, comprising the polymerization of chloroprene in the presence of a first latex essentially consisting of polymeric particles produced in a first polymerization of a composition of monomers comprising (a) alpha-, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, (b) vinyl aromatic compounds, (c) conjugated dienes; said first latex having a content of alpha-, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids, expressed as parts of alpha-, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids per 100 grams of polymeric particles, ranging from 1 to 15%, thus obtaining a final latex, the solid particles of said final latex having an quantity of chloroprene ranging from 50 to 95% by weight, preferably from 80 to 95% by weight.

Abstract: Promoters are described for vanadium-based catalysts used in the (co)polymerization of olefins and, in particular, in the production of ethylene/propylene (EPR) or ethylene/propylene/diene (EPDM) elastomeric copolymers. The promoters of the present invention belong to the group of compounds having general formula I: wherein: “X” represents a (—CO—) carbonyl or (—SO2—) sulfonyl group; “n” is 0 or 1; R? is an alkyl or alkylaryl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; R?=R?, H.

Abstract: Elastomeric pellets are described, comprising: (A) EP(D)M elastomeric polymer having a content of bound propylene of at least 30% by weight, preferably from 31% to 40% by weight; (B) polyethylene the weight ratio between the two components (A)/(B) ranging from 80/20 to 95/5, preferably from 85/15 to 88/12. Their preparation is also described, together with their use as components of impact-resistant compositions.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a mixture, comprising one or more alkyl esters of fatty acids and one or more esters of fatty acids of glycerol carbonate, as a fuel or solvent.

Abstract: A process is described to modify the rheology of EP(D)M copolymers optionally mixed with polyalpha-olefins, which comprises treating in high shear conditions a polymeric mixture comprising one or more EP(D)M polymers, optionally mixed with polyalpha-olefins, in presence of one or more vinyl multifunctional monomers and of one or more hydroperoxides, with the amount of vinyl multifunctional monomer comprised between 0.02 and 2.0 by weight, preferably between 0.05 and 1% by weight, with the molar ratio between the vinyl monomer and hydroperoxide being comprised between 0.005/1 and 2/1, preferably between 0.01/1 and 1/1, said process being performed at a temperature between 75° C. and 260° C., preferably between 140° C. and 210° C.

Abstract: Compositions of expandable vinylaromatic polymers which contain a polymer, of at least one vinylaromatic monomer, having an average molecular weight Mw ranging from 50,000 to 170,000, which comprise: a) 0-50% by weight of a copolymer obtained by polymerizing one or more vinylaromatic monomers and 0.1-15% by weight of an ?-alkylstyrene; b) 0-10% by weight of a compatible polymer having a crystallinity lower than 10% and a glass transition temperature (Tg) higher than 100° C., the remaining percentage consisting of the vinylaromatic polymer; c) 2-10% by weight, calculated with respect to the total, of an expanding agent; with the proviso that at least one of (a) or (b) is present in the polymeric mixture.

Abstract: A description follows of random butadiene-isoprene copolymers with a trans-1,4 structure, having a butadiene/isoprene molar composition ranging from 98/2 to 32/68, the above copolymers being crystalline or amorphous depending on the isoprene content. The process for the preparation of the above copolymers is also described, in the present of a catalytic system which comprises: (a) a first component consisting of a vanadium compound selected from: (a1) compounds having general formula (Ia) VO(L)n(X)m wherein n is an integer from 1 to 3 and m ranges from zero to 2, n+m being equal to 2 or 3; (a2) compounds having general formula (Ib) V(L)p(X)q wherein p is an integer from 1 to 4, q ranges from zero to 3, the sum of p+q being equal to 3 or 4; wherein L is a bidentate ligand and X is a halogen, preferably Chlorine; (b) a second component selected from aluminoxanes and rclativc dcrivativcs.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of expandable vinylaromatic polymers which comprises: a) polymerizing in aqueous suspension at last one vinylaromatic monomer in the presence of a suspending agent selected from inorganic salts of phosphoric acid; b) recovering the expandable beads from the reaction container; c) washing the beads thus obtained with an aqueous solution containing 0.005-2% by weight of a non-ionic surface-active agent; d) recovering the washed beads substantially without any inorganic salt of phosphoric acid, on the surface, and drying them in a stream of air.

Abstract: A process is described for the contemporaneous preparation of mesitylene and durene, characterized in that mesitylene and durene are obtained exclusively starting from pseudo-cumene without the use of any further chemical compound, operating in continuous, at a temperature ranging from 210 to 400° C., at a pressure ranging from 1 to 50 bar, with a weight space velocity ranging from 0.1 to 20 hours?1 and in the presence of a catalyst based on crystalline metal-silicates in acid form. After the recovery of mesitylene and durene from the reaction raw product, some of the remaining components of the raw product itself are recycled and fed to the reactor together with the pseudo-cumene.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of phenol characterized in that the phenol is obtained by means of the hydrodeoxygenation of benzene-diols with hydrogen, operating in continuous, in an aqueous solution, at temperatures ranging from 250 to 500° C., at pressures of 1-100 bar and in the presence of a catalyst based on elements of group VIB or group VIII of the periodic table.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of polybutadiene with a low branching degree which comprises: (a) a first polymerization step of butadiene in the presence of organic solvents and in the presence of a catalytic system comprising (a1) a derivative of neodymium; (a2) an aluminum alkyl having general formula (I) AlR1R2R3; (a3) an organo aluminum derivative containing at least one halogen atom, preferably chlorine; the above first step being carried out up to a conversion of butadiene >98% to give a linear polybutadiene (gm=1) with a content of 1,4-cis units greater than 93% and a Mw/Mn ranging from 2.2 to 2.9; (b) treatment of the polymeric solution obtained at the end of step (a) with a peroxide, (c) recovery of the polybutadiene with a low branching degree obtained at the end of step (b).