Abstract: A process for isolating acrylic acid forward during catalytic gas phase oxidation of propene, which entails separating acrylic acid from the gas phase oxidation reaction using an absorbent containing biphenyl, diphenyl ether or dimethyl phthalate; and extracting acrylic acid from acid water of the gas phase reaction with a solvent containing biphenyl, diphenyl ether or dimethyl phthalate.

Abstract: Column tray for a mass transfer column, in particular one provided with a support ring at the circumference, which tray has support elements and tray plates arranged side by side on the support elements and having passages, in particular holes, valves or bubble caps, wherein the majority, preferably the total number, of tray plates are connected liquid-tight, preferably welded, to the support elements or the support ring, in particular in discrete area elements; the majority, preferably the total number, of support elements are connected liquid-tight, preferably welded, to one another and to the column wall or the support ring, in particular in discrete area elements; and in addition the majority, preferably the total number, of adjacent tray plates and support elements are separated from one another and from the column wall or the support ring by gaps having a width of from 1 to 15 mm, preferably from 1 to 7 mm.

Abstract: Compositions of the formula IMo.sub.12 P.sub.a V.sub.b X.sub.c.sup.1 X.sub.d.sup.2 X.sub.e.sup.3 Sb.sub.f Re.sub.g S.sub.h O.sub.n (I),whereX.sup.1 is potassium, rubidium and/or cesium,X.sup.2 is copper and/or silver,X.sup.3 is cerium, boron, zirconium, manganese and/or bismuth,a is from 0.5 to 3.0,b is from 0.01 to 3.0,c is from 0.2 to 3.0,d is from 0.01 to 2.0,e is from 0 to 2.0,f is from 0.01 to 2.0,g is from 0 to 1.0,h is from 0.001 to 0.5 andn is a number determined by the valency and content of the elements different from oxygen in I, are used as catalysts for preparing methacrylic acid by gas-phase oxidation of methacrolein.

Abstract: Compositions of the formula IMO.sub.12 P.sub.a V.sub.b X.sup.1.sub.c X.sup.2.sub.d X.sup.3.sub.e Sb.sub.f Re.sub.g S.sub.h O.sub.n (I)whereX.sup.1 is potassium, rubidium and/or cesium,X.sup.2 is copper and/or silver,X.sup.3 is cerium, boron, zirconium, manganese and/or bismuth,a is from 0.5 to 3.0,b is from 0.01 to 3.0,c is from 0.2 to 3.0,d is from 0.01 to 2.0,e is from 0 to 2.0,f is from 0.01 to 2.0,g is from 0 to 1.0,h is from 0.001 to 0.5 andn is a number determined by the valency and content ofthe elements different from oxygen in I, are used as catalysts for preparing methacrylic acid by gas-phase oxidation of methacrolein.

Abstract: Methacrylic acid can be prepared with advantage by gas phase oxidation of methacrolein or isobutyraldehyde over Mo- and P-containing catalysts at from 250.degree. to 400.degree. C. with cooling of the hot reaction gas to below 100.degree. C., absorption of the methacrylic acid in a water-operated absorption column, at below 100.degree. C. and partial recycling into the oxidation reactor after admixture of methacrolein or isobutyraldehyde and oxygen by feeding a quantity of methacrolein or isobutyraldehyde equal to the quantity of methacrolein or isobutyraldehyde consumed in the reaction in liquid form together with a polymerization inhibitor into the reactor gas in the lower two-thirds of the absorber column and upstream of the feed point for the fresh methacrolein or isobutyraldehyde or down-stream of the absorption column splitting off the reactor off-gas a side stream which is washed in a wash column operated with water at <10.degree. C.

Abstract: Catalysts which consist of a molded carrier, the surface of which is coated with an active catalyst composition of the general formula Mo.sub.12 A.sub.a B.sub.b C.sub.c D.sub.d O.sub.x, where A is V and/or W, B is Cu and/or Fe and/or Mn and/or Ni and/or Cr, C is Nb and/or Ta and/or Bi and/or Sb and/or Sn and/or Th and/or Ce and/or U, D is Li and/or Na and/or K and/or Rb and/or Cs and/or Tl and a is from 0.1 to 18, b is from 0 to 8, c is from 0 to 10, d is from 0 to 2 and x is from 36 to 135, which are particularly active and selective for the oxidation of acrolein and methacrolein with oxygen-containing gases to give acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, respectively, are obtained by first manufacturing the catalyst composition, before applying it to the carrier, from thermally easily decomposed salts of the components by mixing aqueous solutions, slurries or moist solid masses of the salts of the components, drying the mixture and calcining the dried composition at from 140.degree. to 600.degree. C.

Abstract: In the oxidation of propylene and/or acrolein, high-boiling or non-volatile byproducts are separated from the solvents used for absorbing the acrylic acid by treating the said solvents laden with byproducts with the hot reaction gases in such amounts that the major portion of the solvents evaporates, the residual solvent containing a high percentage of said byproducts then being discarded or worked up.

Abstract: In the oxidation of .alpha.-olefins in the gas phase to .alpha.,.beta.-olefinically unsaturated aldehydes and carboxylic acids with molecular oxygen in the presence of an inert gas using a catalyst containing molybdenum and bismuth with elements as oxides or mixed oxides at from 280.degree. to 450.degree. C a content of indium and/or aluminum and/or lanthanum and/or gallium as oxide or mixed oxide results in an improvement in the conversion and/or activity and/or life of the catalyst.

Abstract: In the oxidation of propylene to acrylic acid in the gas phase in two spatially separate oxidation stages, a part of the off-gas, which has been freed from condensable products, is fed to the oxidation stages in addition to freshly charged propylene and air, under the following conditions:A. The recycled off-gas and air are in part fed to the first oxidation stage and in part to the second oxidation stage,B. The molar ratio of propylene : oxygen : residual gases fed to the first stage is 1 : 1.5-2.3 : 11-19,C. The molar ratio of the total propylene fed in, to the total oxygen fed in, in the form of air or off-gas, before and after the first stage, and to the total residual gases fed in is 1 : 1.9-2.5 : 13-25, with the proviso thatD. The air and the recycled off-gas are divided between the two feed points in such a way that from 10 to 50% by volume of the total quantity of air and off-gas fed in are added after the first stage andE.

Abstract: Acrylic acid practically devoid of water, acrolein, formaldehyde and acetic acid is obtained at particularly low cost by countercurrent scrubbing and quenching of the reaction gas formed in the catalytic oxidation of propylene and/or acrolein with a high-boiling, extremely hydrophobic solvent followed by processing of the extract.