Abstract: The present invention relates to new metal compounds, to a process for the preparation of these metal compounds and to their use as catalysts.The new metal compounds according to the invention have, when they are used as catalysts, in particular as hydrogenation catalysts, an efficiency of the same order as that obtained with Raney nickel or cobalt.These metal compounds are more precisely compounds containing one or a number of divalent metals at least partially in the reduced state, bulked by a phase comprising one or a number of doping metals chosen from chromium, molybdenum, iron, manganese, titanium, vanadium, gallium, indium, bismuth, yttrium, cerium, lanthanum and the other trivalent lanthanides, in the form of oxides.

Abstract: A process for the hemihydrogenation of aliphatic dinitriles to the corresponding aminonitriles using hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, a strong inorganic base and water is disclosed. Using the disclosed process, a selectivity for the desired aminonitriles of at least 60% can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the isolation of a palladium-based catalyst from a mixture in which it is dissolved. More specifically, the invention relates to the isolation of a palladium-based catalyst from a mixture originating from the reaction of hydroxycarbonylation of butadiene to pentenoic acids. It therefore consists of a process for the isolation of at least a portion of the palladium dissolved in a solution also containing at least 3-pentenoic acid, characterized in that the said solution is acidified and stirred with an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid, so as to obtain two liquid phases including an aqueous phase containing at least a portion of the palladium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the hydrocyanation of organic compounds containing ethylenic unsaturation to nitrites, in particular the hydrocyanation of diolefins or of substituted olefins, such as alkenenitriles.More specifically, it comprises a process for the hydrocyanation of organic compounds containing at least one ethylenic double bond by reaction with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of an aqueous solution of a catalyst comprising at least one transition metal compound and at least one water-soluble phosphine, characterized in that the said water-soluble phosphine is a monodentate or bidentate phosphine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of pentenenitriles. In this process the 3- or 4-pentenenitriles are produced by reacting 2-methylglutarimide, ethylsuccinimide, and/or their precursors, such as 4-cyanovalerimide, 2-methyl-4-cyanobutyrimide, 4-cyanovaleric acid, 2-methyl-4-cyanobutyric acid, 3-cyanovalerimide, 2-ethyl-3-cyanopropionimide, 3-cyanovaleic acid, and 2-ethyl-3-cyanopropionic acid, in the vapor phase at temperatures of 200.degree. to 600.degree. C. in the presence of an acidic solid catalyst, such as acidic molecular sieves, acidic clays, bridged or pillared clays, bulk oxides, and acidic phosphates.

Abstract: A process for recycling a catalyst containing cobalt including treating a reaction mixture obtained during the direct oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid by extracting at least some of the glutaric acid and succinic acid which are formed in the reaction.