Abstract: The iron-containing catalyst suitable for use as a catalyst contains a) iron or a mixture containing iron and an iron-based compound. The iron has an average crystallite size ranging from 1-35 nm measured by X-ray diffraction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the selective hydrogenation of alkynes and dienes in C2-C5+-olefin mixtures,—in C2- or C3-streams of the olefin preparation by cracking. The method comprises conducting the hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst particle comprising (a) a metal of the tenth group of the Periodic Table, (b) a metal of the eleventh group of the Periodic Table and (c) optionally a compound of a metal of the first or second group of the Periodic Table. Components (a) and (b), and optionally (c), are applied to a support selected from the group consisting of silica, titanium dioxide, zirconium oxides, spinels, zinc aluminates, zinc titanate, aluminosilicates and mixtures thereof. The metal of the eleventh group is distributed homogeneously over the cross-section of the catalyst particle, and the metal of the tenth group is present in an edge layer close to the surface of the catalyst particle.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for purifying crude caprolactam. The process involves converting a first mixture of 6-amino capronitrile and water to a second mixture of caprolactam ammonia, water, high boilers and low boilers using a catalyst. The ammonia is removed from the second mixture to obtain a third mixture. Water is removed from the third mixture to give crude caprolactam, high boiler and low boilers. Purified caprolactam is then obtained by a series of distillation steps.

Abstract: A process for reducing the level of an aliphatic monounsaturated amine (IV) in a mixture (V) containing an aminonitrile (I) or a diamine (II) or a dinitrile (III) or mixtures thereof as well as said mine (IV) by a) reacting said mixture (V) with an anionic nucleophile (VI) which contains a nucleophilic atom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, which is capable of taking up an H+ ion to form an acid having a pKa value in the range from 7 to 11, as measured in water at 25° C., and which has a relative nucleophilicity, as measured in methyl perchlorate/methanol at 25° C., in the range from 3.4 to 4.7 when said nucleophilic atom is oxygen, in the range from 4.5 to 5.8 when said nucleophilic atom is nitrogen, and in the range from 5.5 to 6.8 when said nucleophilic atom is sulfur, in an amount in the range from 0.01 to 10 mol per mole of said amine (IV) in said mixture (V) at a temperature in the range from 50 to 200° C.

Abstract: A catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of alkynes and dienes in C2-C5+-olefin mixtures is described. These catalysts contain (a) a metal of the tenth group of the Periodic Table, (b) a metal of the eleventh group of the Periodic Table and (c) if required, a compound of a metal of the first or second group of the Periodic Table, these metals being applied to a support which is selected from the group consisting of silica, titanium dioxide, zirconium oxides, spinels, zinc aluminates, zinc titanates or mixtures of these substances, and the metal of the eleventh group being distributed homogeneously over the cross section of the catalyst particle and the metal of the tenth group being present in the edge layer close to the surface of the catalyst particle. Such a catalyst is prepared by applying the metal of the eleventh group, preferably during the preparation of the support itself, by impregnation with a solution of a suitable metal salt.

Abstract: A catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of alkynes and dienes in C2-C5+-olefin mixtures is described. These catalysts contain (a) a metal of the tenth group of the Periodic Table, (b) a metal of the eleventh group of the Periodic Table and (c) if required, a compound of a metal of the first or second group of the Periodic Table, these metals being applied to a support which is selected from the group consisting of silica, titanium dioxide, zirconium oxides, spinels, zinc aluminates, zinc titanates or mixtures of these substances, and the metal of the eleventh group being distributed homogeneously over the cross section of the catalyst particle and the metal of the tenth group being present in the edge layer close to the surface of the catalyst particle. Such a catalyst is prepared by applying the metal of the eleventh group, preferably during the preparation of the support itself, by impregnation with a solution of a suitable metal salt.

Abstract: A process for removing high boilers from crude caprolactam which comprises high boilers, caprolactam and in some cases low boilers, and which has been obtained by a) reacting 6-aminocapronitrile with water to give a reaction mixture b) removing ammonia and unconverted water from the reaction mixture to obtain crude caprolactam, which comprises c) feeding the crude caprolactam to a distillation apparatus to obtain a first substream via the top as a product and a second substream via the bottom, by setting the pressure in the distillation in such a way that the bottom temperature does not go below 170° C., and adjusting the second substream in such a way that the caprolactam content of the second substream is not less than 10% by weight, based on the entire second substream.

Abstract: An oxidic composition which is suitable as a catalyst having divalent and trivalent iron in an atomic ratio of divalent to trivalent iron in the range from greater than 0.5 to 5.5 and oxygen as a counterion to the divalent and trivalent iron. The catalyst composition is useful in the hydrogenation of nitriles to amines.

Abstract: A material useful as catalyst for the hydrogenation of alpha, omega-dinitriles comprises (a) iron or a compound based on iron or mixtures thereof, (b) from 0.001 to 0.3% by weight based on (a) of a promoter based on 2, 3, 4 or 5 elements selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, zirconium, titanium and vanadium, (c) from 0 to 0.3% by weight based on (a) of a compound based on an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal, and also (d) from 0.001 to 1% by weight based on (a) of manganese.

Abstract: A process for purifying crude caprolactam which has been obtained by 1) converting a mixture (I) comprising 6-aminocapronitrile and water to a mixture (II) comprising caprolactam, ammonia, water, high boilers and low boilers in the presence of a catalyst, then 2) removing ammonia from mixture (II) to obtain a mixture (III) comprising caprolactam, water, high boilers and low boilers, then 3) completely or partly removing water from mixture (III) to obtain crude caprolactam (IV) comprising caprolactam, high boilers and low boilers, which comprises a) feeding the crude caprolactam and an inorganic acid which has a boiling point above the boiling point of caprolactam under the distillation conditions of the following steps b) to h) to a first distillation apparatus C1, b) distilling the crude caprolactam and the inorganic acid in the first distillation apparatus C1, and removing a first substream in the bottom region and a second substream in the top region of the distillation apparatus C1, c) feeding the second

Abstract: A process for removing high boilers from crude caprolactam which comprises high boilers, caprolactam and in some cases low boilers, and which has been obtained by a) reacting 6-aminocapronitrile with water to give a reaction mixture b) removing ammonia and unconverted water from the reaction mixture to obtain crude caprolactam, which comprises c) feeding the crude caprolactam to a distillation apparatus to obtain a first substream via the top as a product and a second substream via the bottom, by setting the pressure in the distillation in such a way that the bottom temperature does not go below 170° C., and adjusting the second substream in such a way that the caprolactam content of the second substream is not less than 10% by weight, based on the entire second substream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing, by distillation, 6-aminocapronitrile from mixtures that contain 6-aminocapronitrile, adipodinitrile and hexamethylenediamine, by a) removing the hexamethylenediamine from the mixture while obtaining a mixture (I) that has a hexamethylenediamine content of less than 1 wt. -%, b) removing completely or partially the 6-aminocapronitrile from mixture (I) while obtaining a mixture (II) whose content in substances that have a higher boiling point as 6-aminocapronitrile under distillation conditions and that cannot be formed by dimerization reactions when 6-aminocapronitrile is thermally treated is less than 1 wt. -%, and c) completely or partially removing from mixture (II) the hexamethylenediamine that might be present while obtaining a mixture (IV) whose hexamethylenediamine content is higher than that of mixture (II), and a mixture (V) whose hexamethylenediamine content is lower than that of mixture (II).

Abstract: A process for reducing the level of an aliphatic monounsaturated amine (IV) in a mixture (V) containing an aminonitrile (I) or a diamine (II) or a dinitrile (III) or mixtures thereof as well as said amine (IV) by a) reacting said mixture (V) with an anionic nucleophile (VI) which contains a nucleophilic atom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, which is capable of taking up an H+ ion to form an acid having a pKa value in the range from 7 to 11, as measured in water at 25° C., and which has a relative nucleophilicity, as measured in methyl perchlorate/methanol at 25° C., in the range from 3.4 to 4.7 when said nucleophilic atom is oxygen, in the range from 4.5 to 5.8 when said nucleophilic atom is nitrogen, and in the range from 5.5 to 6.8 when said nucleophilic atom is sulfur, in an amount in the range from 0.01 to 10 mol per mole of said amine (IV) in said mixture (V) at a temperature in the range from 50 to 200° C.

Abstract: A process is provided for the regeneration of a heterogeneous catalyst used for the preparation of compounds containing NH2 groups by the hydrogenation, with hydrogen, of compounds containing at least one unsaturated carbon-nitrogen bond, wherein a) the feed of the compound to be hydrogenated is stopped and b) the heterogeneous catalyst is treated with a compound of the formula R1R2N—CO—R3??(I), in which R1 is hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl and R2, R3 independently of one another are each hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl or together are a C3-C6 alkylene group, or mixtures of such compounds, at a pressure ranging from 0.1 to 30 MPa and a temperature ranging from 100 to 300° C., with the proviso that the compound of formula (I) is in liquid form during the treatment.

Abstract: A process for distillative removal of ammonia from solutions (I) which include a lactam and ammonia comprises effecting said removal in a distillation apparatus (a) at an absolute pressure of less than 10 bar.

Abstract: Alkali metal alkoxides are prepared by reacting alkali metal amalgam with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst comprising porous iron.

Abstract: A process for preparing a polymer, which comprises a) reacting a mixture (I) containing 6-aminocapronitrile and water in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a mixture (II) containing caprolactam, ammonia, water, high boilers and low boilers, then b) removing ammonia from mixture (II) to obtain a mixture (III) containing caprolactam, water, high boilers and low boilers, then c) removing all or some of the water from mixture (III) to obtain a mixture (IV) containing caprolactam, high boilers and low boilers and then d) feeding mixture (IV) to a polymerization reaction, and also the polymer obtainable by this process, the use of the polymer for producing fibers, sheetlike structures and moldings, and also fibers, sheetlike structures and moldings obtainable using such a polymer.

Abstract: A material useful as catalyst for the hydrogenation of alpha, omega-dinitriles comprises (a) iron or a compound based on iron or mixtures thereof, (b) from 0.001 to 0.3% by weight based on (a) of a promoter based on 2, 3, 4 or 5 elements selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, zirconium, titanium and vanadium, (c) from 0 to 0.3% by weight based on (a) of a compound based on an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal, and also (d) from 0.001 to 1% by weight based on (a) of manganese.

Abstract: An oxidic composition which is suitable as a catalyst precursor comprises

Abstract: The iron-containing catalyst suitable for use as a catalyst contains a) iron or a mixture containing iron and an iron-based compound. The iron has an average crystallite size ranging from 1-35 nm measured by X-ray diffraction.