Abstract: A process for producing a metal carbonate-containing shaped catalyst body for the hydrogenation of an organic compound having one or more carbonyl group, in which a) a metal carbonate composition which contains, based on the total weight of the metal carbonate composition, from 70 to 94.5% by weight of a metal carbonate mixture containing two or more than two metal carbonates of two or more than two different metals (M), from 5 to 25% by weight of metallic copper, and from 0.5 to 5% by weight of tableting aid is provided, b) a shaped body is formed from the metal carbonate composition provided in step a), and c) the shaped body obtained in step b) is activated in the presence of hydrogen at a temperature in the range from 150 to 250° C.

Abstract: A process for producing a metal carbonate-containing shaped catalyst body for the hydrogenation of an organic compound having one or more carbonyl group, in which a) a metal carbonate composition which contains, based on the total weight of the metal carbonate composition, from 70 to 94.5% by weight of a metal carbonate mixture containing two or more than two metal carbonates of two or more than two different metals (M), from 5 to 25% by weight of metallic copper, and from 0.5 to 5% by weight of tableting aid is provided, b) a shaped body is formed from the metal carbonate composition provided in step a), and c) the shaped body obtained in step b) is activated in the presence of hydrogen at a temperature in the range from 150 to 250° C.

Abstract: Processes for obtaining fatty acids with reduced content of by-products, wherein unrefined fats or oils are subjected to steam stripping in a counter-current column to produce a bottom fraction of de-acidified fats or oils, a first distillate consisting mainly of fatty acids and glycerides, and a second distillate comprising fatty acids and essentially all unwanted ketones, aldehydes and phenols, and the bottom fraction containing the de-acidified fats or oils is combined with the first distillate containing fatty acids and glycerides.

Abstract: Described is a process for simultaneously purifying fatty alcohols and obtaining a fraction of free fatty acids, wherein: (a) crude fatty alcohols comprising up to 70% b.w. alkyl esters and/or wax esters are treated with alkaline bases in an amount sufficient to essentially convert said esters into alkaline soaps, (b) said alkaline soaps are separated from said fatty alcohols by extraction to produce a purified fraction of fatty alcohols and an aqueous soap phase, and (c) said soap phase is treated with strong mineral acids in order to release the fatty acids from the soaps.

Abstract: Described is a process for obtaining fatty acid C1-C4 alkyl esters from unrefined fats and oils, wherein: (a) unrefined fats or oils having an acid value of from 1 to 20 are treated with hot steam in a counter-current column to provide a first fraction of free fatty acids and low boiling impurities and a second fraction of de-acidified and de-watered fats or oils; (b) said first fraction is subjected to esterification with lower C1-C4 alcohols to provide a third fraction of fatty acid C1-C4 alkyl esters; (c) said second and said third fraction are combined and subjected to a low pressure transesterification to provide an intermediate fraction of fatty acid C1-C4 alkyl esters, C1-C4 alcohols and glycerol; and (d) said intermediate is subjected to a separation process to remove C1-C4 alcohols and the glycerol to provide a second fraction of C1-C4 alkyl esters.

Abstract: Described is a process for simultaneously purifying fatty alcohols and obtaining a fraction of free fatty acids, wherein: (a) crude fatty alcohols comprising up to 70% b.w. alkyl esters and/or wax esters are treated with alkaline bases in an amount sufficient to essentially convert said esters into alkaline soaps, (b) said alkaline soaps are separated from said fatty alcohols by extraction to produce a purified fraction of fatty alcohols and an aqueous soap phase, and (c) said soap phase is treated with strong mineral acids in order to release the fatty acids from the soaps.

Abstract: Described are processes for obtaining fatty acids with reduced content of by-products, wherein: (a) unrefined fats or oils are subjected to steam stripping in a counter-current column to produce (i) a bottom fraction of de-acidified fats or oils, (ii) a first distillate consisting mainly of fatty acids and glycerides, and (iii) a second distillate comprising fatty acids and essentially all unwanted ketones, aldehydes and phenols; and (b) said bottom fraction (i) containing the de-acidified fats or oils and said first distillate (ii) containing fatty acids and glycerides are combined.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process for obtaining fatty acids with improved color, odor and heat stability which is characterized in that: (a) in a first step the crude acids are fed to a rectification (“precut”) column in order to remove low boiling by-products being present in the starting material as a top fraction, and (b) in a second step the bottom fraction of the precut column is fed to a sidestream column in order to obtain the pure fatty acids as the side fraction, to remove low boiling by-products which have been formed in the course of the first distillation as a top fraction and to remove high boiling by-products, either being present from the starting material or formed during the first distillation, with the residue.

Abstract: The invention describes a process for the production of glycerol of providing a vegetable oil or fat as starting material, obtaining crude glycerol from the vegetable oil or fat, and treating the crude glycerol with a reducing agent. The present invention also describes a process for the production of a medicament or pharmaceutical composition, the medicament or composition formed by combining glycerol and at least one pharmaceutically active ingredient. The present invention also describes a pharmaceutical composition or medicament composed of glycerol obtained by way of the invention and a pharmaceutically active ingredient, which compositions forms very little glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone during storage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new process for obtaining fatty acids with improved color, odor and heat stability which is characterized in that (a) in a first step the crude acids are fed to a rectification (“precut”) column in order to remove low boiling by-products being present in the starting material as a top fraction, and (b) in a second step the bottom fraction of the precut column is fed to a sidestream column in order to obtain the pure fatty acids as the side fraction, to remove low boiling by-products which have been formed in the course of the first distillation as a top fraction and to remove high boiling by-products, either being present from the starting material or formed during the first distillation, with the residue.

Abstract: Unsaturated fatty compounds are hydrogenated at a hydrogen pressure of from 100 to 300 bar in the presence of transition metal catalyst to form a hydrogenation product having an iodine value of less than 2.

Abstract: Ketoximes, processes for their preparation, compositions containing them, and a copper extraction process using the compositions.

Abstract: Pure azelaic acid is obtained by working up a reaction mixture containing C.sub.1-18 monocarboxylic acids, mainly pelargonic acid, and C.sub.4-16 dicarboxylic acids, mainly azelaic acid, obtained from the ozonolysis of oleic acid or a starting mixture containing oleic acid. All but <2% by weight of the monocarboxylic acids and part of the dicarboxylic acids with a chain length of <C.sub.9 and >C.sub.9 are separated off to obtain a prepurified product containing more than 75% by weight of oleic acid and the prepurified product is concentrated to more than 90% by weight of oleic acid in several process steps. In a first process step (1), the dicarboxylic acids with chain lengths of <C.sub.9 present in the prepurified product are removed as first runnings by fractional distillation. In a second process step (2), the bottom product obtained is reacted with water to split carboxylic anhydrides present in the bottom product.