Abstract: (Meth)acrylates are prepared by esterifying a high-boiling compound having one or more alcoholic hydroxyl groups with (meth)acrylic acid in the presence of an entraining agent, such as a (cyclo)aliphatic hydrocarbon, by heating the reaction mixture to the boil and discharging the water of reaction with the entraining agent, in a substantially shorter reaction time and constant product quality, if, during the esterification reaction, the entraining agent is metered into the reaction mixture under temperature control at a rate such that the boiling point of the reaction mixture remains constant.

Abstract: A process for selectively hydrogenating ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in polymers P involves reacting the polymers P with hydrogen in the presence of at least one hydrogenation catalyst selected from the salts and complex compounds of rhodium and/or of ruthenium in an aqueous dispersion of the polymers P that comprises not more than 20% by volume of an organic solvent. This process can be used to give hydrogenated polymer dispersions and, from these dispersions, polymers. Also claimed are aqueous polymer dispersions comprising polymers P′, which include structural units I, II and III as in claim 10, with or without structural units IV and/or V as in claim 11.

Abstract: Polymers containing ethylenically unsaturated double bonds are hydroformylated by reacting aqueous dispersions of the polymers with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of suitable hydroformylation catalysts.Also provided are the polymer dispersions obtainable by this process and the hydroformylated polymers themselves.

Abstract: A method of printing paper by gravure printing, wherein the paper used is coated with a paper-coating slip containing a binding agent having a butadiene content of at least 74 wt %, based on the binding agent.

Abstract: Aqueous polymer emulsions contain dispersants based on natural lecithins.

Abstract: Binders for papercoating slips which permit uniform printability contain a polymer prepared by the seed procedure and comprisingfrom 1 to 49% by weight of a polymer seed A) having a glass transition temperature of from -80.degree. to +25.degree. C. and based on esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, andfrom 51 to 99% by weight of ethylenically unsaturated monomers B), from 10 to 100% by weight of which monomers are butadiene,the polymer seed A being added before or during the polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomers.

Abstract: A writing/erasing method for use in connection with homotropic organic optical media is disclosed and claimed. The method includes writing on a thin film with light of a first linear polarity to induce birefringence along the direction of an optical axis of the film's initial state followed by erasing the film with light of a second linear polarity. The first and second linear polarities are angularly offset with respect to one another, preferably by 90 degrees.