Abstract: Processes comprising: (a) reacting dimethylamine and ethylene oxide to form a product mixture comprising N,N-dimethylethanolamine and N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol; (b) distilling the product mixture to obtain a bottom fraction comprising N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol; and (c) distilling the bottom fraction to separate at least a portion of the N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol from the bottom fraction; and apparatus for carrying out said processes.

Abstract: A process for preparing N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol (DMAEE), wherein a) dimethylamine and ethylene oxide are reacted, b) the resulting product mixture of N,N-dimethylethanolamine and DMAEE is separated by distillation to obtain a DMAEE-containing fraction as the bottom stream, and c) DMAEE from the fraction obtained in (b) is removed by distillation.

Abstract: A process for preparing an amine by reacting an aldehyde and/or ketone with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group of primary and secondary amines in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, wherein the catalyst is a coated catalyst which comprises at least one metal of group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements as a hydrogenating metal and additionally a promoter on an oxidic support, at least 80% of the metal of group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements being present in a layer between the surface of the catalyst and a penetration depth which is not more than 80% of the radius of the catalyst, calculated from the surface of the catalyst.

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine by (i) reacting racemic trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine with D-mandelic acid, (ii) removing the salt formed from D-mandelic acid and one enantiomer of trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine from the other enantiomer of trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine and (iii) isolating the desired optically active trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine.

Abstract: Processes comprising: providing an aromatic alcohol; and reacting the aromatic alcohol with ammonia at a temperature of 80 to 350° C. in the presence of hydrogen and a heterogeneous catalyst to form a crude reaction product comprising a corresponding primary aromatic amine, wherein the heterogeneous catalyst comprises a catalytically active composition which, prior to reduction with hydrogen, comprises 90 to 99.8% by weight of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), 0.1 to 5.0% by weight of an oxygen-comprising compound of palladium, and 0.1 to 5.0% by weight of an oxygen-comprising compound of platinum.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of benzophenonimine (BPI) of the general formula I where R1 and R2 are C1- to C4-alkoxy, C1- to C2-alkylamine and C2- to C4-dialkylamine and m and n are integers from 0 to 5 and R1 and R2, independently of one another, may be identical or different, by reacting benzophenone (BP) of the general formula II where R1, R2, m and n have the abovementioned meanings, in ammonia and in the presence of titanium dioxide, the titanium dioxide being present substantially in the anatase modification.

Abstract: Processes comprising: (a) providing a first reactant comprising a bioethanol; and (b) reacting the first reactant with a second reactant comprising a component selected from the group consisting of ammonia, primary amines, secondary amines and mixtures thereof, in the presence of hydrogen and a catalytically effective amount of a heterogeneous hydrogenation/dehydrogenation catalyst to form an ethylamine; wherein the catalyst has been activated at a temperature of 100 to 500° C. for at least 25 minutes; wherein prior to activation the catalyst comprises: (i) 20 to 65% by weight of a support material comprising one or both of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3), (ii) 1 to 30% by weight of oxygen-comprising compounds of copper, calculated as CuO, and (iii) 21 to 70% by weight of oxygen-comprising compounds of nickel, calculated as NiO; and wherein after activation the catalyst has a CO uptake capacity of >110 ?mol of CO/g of the catalyst.

Abstract: Processes comprising: (a) providing a first reactant comprising a bioethanol; and (b) reacting the first reactant with a second reactant comprising a component selected from the group consisting of ammonia, primary amines, secondary amines and mixtures thereof, in the presence of hydrogen and a catalytically effective amount of a heterogeneous hydrogenation/dehydrogenation catalyst to form an ethylamine; wherein the catalyst has been activated at a temperature of 100 to 500° C. for at least 25 minutes; wherein prior to activation the catalyst comprises: (i) 20 to 65% by weight of a support material comprising one or both of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3), (ii) 1 to 30% by weight of oxygen-comprising compounds of copper, calculated as CuO, and (iii) 21 to 70% by weight of oxygen-comprising compounds of nickel, calculated as NiO; and wherein after activation the catalyst has a CO uptake capacity of >110 ?mol of CO/g of the catalyst.

Abstract: Processes comprising: (a) reacting dimethylamine and ethylene oxide to form a product mixture comprising N,N-dimethylethanolamine and N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol; (b) distilling the product mixture to obtain a bottom fraction comprising N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol; and (c) distilling the bottom fraction to separate at least a portion of the N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol from the bottom fraction; and apparatus for carrying out said processes.

Abstract: Process for preparing an ethylamine by reacting ethanol with ammonia, a primary amine or a secondary amine in the presence of hydrogen and a heterogeneous catalyst, in which a biochemically prepared ethanol (bioethanol) in which the concentration of sulfur and/or sulfur-containing compounds has been reduced beforehand by bringing it into contact with an adsorbent is used.

Abstract: Method of producing triethanolamine where a phosphane or a compound which liberates a phosphane is added to the triethanolamine.

Abstract: Methods for improving color properties of triethanolamine, and triethanolamine compositions treated thereby, are disclosed, wherein the methods comprise: (a) providing a composition comprising triethanolamine; and (b) contacting the composition with an acid component and a basic component; wherein the acid component comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, hypophosphorous acid and mixtures thereof; and wherein the basic component comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, ammonium hydroxides according to general formula (I), and mixtures thereof: [R1R2R3(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium] hydroxide??(I) wherein R1, R2 and R3 each independently represents a C1-30 alkyl or a C2-10 hydroxyalkyl; with the proviso that where the basic component comprises an alkali metal hydroxide, the molar ratio of acid component: basic component is 1:0.

Abstract: Methods for improving color properties of triethanolamine, and triethanolamine compositions treated thereby, are disclosed, wherein the methods comprise: (a) providing a composition comprising triethanolamine; and (b) contacting the composition with an acid component and a basic component; wherein the acid component comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, hypophosphorous acid and mixtures thereof; and wherein the basic component comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, ammonium hydroxides according to general formula (I), and mixtures thereof: [R1R2R3(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium]hydroxide??(I) wherein R1, R2 and R3 each independently represents a C1-30 alkyl or a C2-10 hydroxyalkyl; with the proviso that where the basic component comprises an alkali metal hydroxide, the molar ratio of acid component:basic component is 1:0.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of benzophenonimine (BPI) of the general formula I where R1 and R2 are C1- to C4-alkoxy, C1- to C2-alkylamine and C2- to C4-dialkylamine and m and n are integers from 0 to 5 and R1 and R2, independently of one another, may be identical or different, by reacting benzophenone (BP) of the general formula II where R1, R2, m and n have the abovementioned meanings, in ammonia and in the presence of titanium dioxide, the titanium dioxide being present substantially in the anatase modification.

Abstract: A process for preparing an amine by reacting an aldehyde and/or ketone with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group of primary and secondary amines in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, wherein the catalyst is a coated catalyst which comprises at least one metal of group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements as a hydrogenating metal and additionally a promoter on an oxidic support, at least 80% of the metal of group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements being present in a layer between the surface of the catalyst and a penetration depth which is not more than 80% of the radius of the catalyst, calculated from the surface of the catalyst.

Abstract: A process for continuously preparing a primary aromatic amine by reacting a corresponding cycloaliphatic alcohol with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen at a temperature in the range from 80 to 350° C. in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, wherein the catalytically active composition of the catalyst, before its reduction with hydrogen, comprises from 90 to 99.8% by weight of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), from 0.1 to 5.0% by weight of oxygen compounds of palladium and from 0.1 to 5.0% by weight of oxygen compounds of platinum.

Abstract: A process for preparing optically active trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine by (i) reacting racemic trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine with D-mandelic acid, (ii) removing the salt formed from D-mandelic acid and one enantiomer of trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine from the other enantiomer of trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine and (iii) isolating the desired optically active trans-2,6-dimethylmorpholine.

Abstract: Processes comprising: providing an aromatic alcohol; and reacting the aromatic alcohol with ammonia at a temperature of 80 to 350° C. in the presence of hydrogen and a heterogeneous catalyst to form a crude reaction product comprising a corresponding primary aromatic amine, wherein the heterogeneous catalyst comprises a catalytically active composition which, prior to reduction with hydrogen, comprises 90 to 99.8% by weight of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), 0.1 to 5.0% by weight of an oxygen-comprising compound of palladium, and 0.1 to 5.0% by weight of an oxygen-comprising compound of platinum.

Abstract: Process for the continuous preparation of an amine by reaction of a primary or secondary alcohol, aldehyde and/or ketone with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, primary and secondary amines at a temperature in the range from 60 to 300° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing cyclohexanedicarboxylic acids or derivatives thereof, such as esters and/or anhydrides, encompassing the reaction of diene/maleic acid anhydride mixtures, in particular of butadiene/maleic acid anhydride mixtures or of mixtures of maleic acid anhydrides and C5-dienes to give alkyl-substituted or unsubstituted cyclohexenedicarboxylic acid anhydrides in the condensed phase, ester formation, and then hydrogenation to give the corresponding cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid derivative, and also to the use of the cyclohexanedicarboxylic acids or derivatives thereof prepared according to the invention as plasticizers for plastics.