Abstract: A method of production of carbon nanoparticles comprises the steps of: providing on substrate particles a transition metal compound which is decomposable to yield the transition metal under conditions permitting carbon nanoparticle formation, contacting a gaseous carbon source with the substrate particles, before, during or after said contacting step, decomposing the transition metal compound to yield the transition metal on the substrate particles, forming carbon nanoparticles by decomposition of the carbon source catalysed by the transition metal, and collecting the carbon nanoparticles formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing enantiomerically enriched &agr;- and &bgr;-hydroxycarboxylic esters from the corresponding ketocarboxylic esters and also to catalysts usable therefor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing enantiomerically enriched alpha- and beta-hydroxycarboxylic esters from the corresponding ketocarboxylic esters and also relates to immobilized transition metal complexes usable therefor.

Abstract: Supported catalysts having a high sintering stability and comprising one or more noble metal cluster carbonyl compounds of the formula (1) [HaMbNcLd(CO)x]n−An+ and their use for the dehydrogenation, hydrogenation and oxidation of organic compounds where M and N are, independently of one another, one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Pt, Rh, Ir, Os, Ru, Ag, Pd, Au, Ni, Fe, Co, Cu, Re, Mn; L is one or more neutral or anionic ligands which may be identical or different; (A)n+ is one or more cations which balance the charge of the complex; a is an integer from 0 to 10, preferably from 0 to 6; b is an integer from 2 to 60; c is an integer from 0 to 30; d is an integer from 0 to 60; x is an integer from 1 to 120; n is the total charge of the complex which results from the individual charges of the constituents and is greater than 0, wher