Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polyacrylamide solution having increased viscosity. In particular, the present invention is related to the separation of a biocatalyst from an aqueous acrylamide solution prepared utilizing the biocatalyst prior to polymerization of the aqueous acrylamide solution to polyacrylamide. A polyacrylamide solution having increased viscosity is well suited to be used in tertiary oil recovery. Accordingly, the present application provides means and methods to crucially improve the quality of polyacrylamide solutions for use in tertiary oil recovery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to means and methods for producing an amide compound from a nitrile compound with less acrylic acid as by-product using a Nitrile hydratase (NHase) and Amidase producing microorganism as biocatalyst. Also provided is an aqueous amide compound obtained by the methods of the invention as well as a composition comprising acrylamide or polyacrylamide as well as a dried microorganism exhibiting a NHase/Amidase activity ratio of at least 400 when being brought into contact with a nitrile compound to convert said nitrile compound into an amide compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polyacrylamide solution having increased viscosity. In particular, the present invention is related to the separation of a biocatalyst from an aqueous acrylamide solution prepared utilizing the biocatalyst prior to polymerization of the aqueous acrylamide solution to polyacrylamide. A polyacrylamide solution having in creased viscosity is well suited to be used in tertiary oil recovery. Accordingly, the present application provides means and methods to crucially improve the quality of polyacrylamide solutions for use in tertiary oil recovery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for preparing an aqueous acrylamide solution having a low acrylic acid concentration. In addition, the present invention relates to methods for reducing the acrylic acid concentration of an aqueous acrylamide solution. The methods involve a bioconversion of acrylonitrile to acrylamide in the presence of a biocatalyst, wherein during the bioconversion the content of acrylonitrile is maintained at 0.3 w/w % or more referred to the total weight of the composition in the reactor. Also provided is an aqueous acrylamide solution which is obtained by the methods of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is related to an acrylamide homopolymer or copolymer obtained by polymerizing the acrylamide of the aqueous solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for preparing an aqueous acrylamide solution having a low acrylic acid concentration. In addition, the present invention relates to methods for reducing the acrylic acid concentration of an aqueous acrylamide solution. The methods involve a bioconversion of acrylonitrile to acrylamide in the presence of a biocatalyst, wherein during the bioconversion the content of acrylonitrile is maintained at 0.3 w/w % or more referred to the total weight of the composition in the reactor. Also provided is an aqueous acrylamide solution which is obtained by the methods of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is related to an acrylamide homopolymer or copolymer obtained by polymerizing the acrylamide of the aqueous solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for cultivating a nitrile hydratase producing microorganism, compositions for cultivating a nitrile hydratase producing microorganism, and use of compositions comprising a saccharide and an organic acid for cultivating a nitrile hydratase producing microorganism. The composition provided in and to be employed in context with the present invention is particularly suitable for inducing both, growth and nitrile hydratase production of corresponding microorganisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to means and methods for producing an amide compound from a nitrile compound with less acrylic acid as by-product using a Nitrile hydratase (NHase) and Amidase producing microorganism as biocatalyst. Also provided is an aqueous amide compound obtained by the methods of the invention as well as a composition comprising acrylamide or polyacrylamide as well as a dried microorganism exhibiting a NHase/Amidase activity ratio of at least 400 when being brought into contact with a nitrile compound to convert said nitrile compound into an amide compound.

Abstract: Method for immobilizing proteins on a support, wherein the protein is incubated with the support in an aqueous phase in a discontinuous contact vacuum mixer dryer and the immobilized protein is then immediately dried, optionally following an optional washing step, in the same contact vacuum mixer dryer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the preparation of isomerically pure substituted cyclohexanols starting from a mixture of cis/trans substituted cyclohexanols which comprises reacting the cis/trans mixture of a substituted cyclohexanol with a dicarboxylic acid anhydride in the presence of a lipase, to give the trans semi-ester which is separated off from the unreacted substituted cyclohexanol cis isomer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing urethane-containing acrylic- and (meth)acrylic esters by reacting a urethane-containing alcohol with a reactant acrylic- or (meth)acrylic ester of a saturated alcohol in the presence of at least one polymerization inhibitor and an enzyme as a catalyst within a reactor, wherein the saturated alcohol released in the process and optionally an entraining agent form an azeotrope with an excess of the reactant (meth)acrylic ester, such that the azeotrope is removed by distillation under reduced pressure and at least one substream from the bottom of the reactor is circulated through the top of the distillation column. Using this process, urethane-containing acrylic- and (meth)acrylic esters are prepared in high yields and high purities under mild conditions from economically obtainable reactants with no significant polymer formation.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation of an alkanol from an aqueous biotransformation mixture, in that a) a first alkanol phase is obtained by means of distilling out an alkanol-water azeotrope from the aqueous biotransformation mixture and, if the azeotrope is a heteroazeotrope, phase separating the azeotrope and separating out an aqueous phase, b) a second alkanol phase is obtained by (i) liquid/liquid extracting the first alkanol phase using a solvent as an extracting agent, or (ii) azeotropic drying the first alkanol phase in the presence of the solvent as a carrier agent, and c) the second alkanol phase is fractionally distilled, producing a pure alkanol fraction. The biotransformation mixture is obtained, for example, by means of reducing an alkanol in the presence of an alcohol dehydrogenase. The method is adapted to the severe dilution of the products of value in the biotransformation mixture and works without long phase separation times when extracting by means of organic solvents.

Abstract: A process for preparing urethane-containing (meth)acrylic esters (U) by reacting a urethane-containing alcohol (A) with a (meth)acrylic ester of a saturated alcohol (G) in the presence of at least one polymerization inhibitor (P) with an enzyme (E) as a catalyst in a reactor, wherein the (meth)acrylic ester of a saturated alcohol (G) and the urethane-containing alcohol (A) are passed continuously through at least one fixed bed reactor filled with an immobilized enzyme (E) as a catalyst.

Abstract: Process for preparing N-heterocyclic optically active alcohols of the formula I by reduction of the corresponding ketone, where the reduction is carried out using a dehydrogenase having the polypeptide sequence SEQ ID NO:2 or NO:4, or using a polypeptide sequence where, compared to SEQ ID NO:2 or NO:4, up to 25% of the amino acid residues are modified by deletion; insertion, substitution or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A process for preparing urethane-containing (meth)acrylic esters (U) by reacting a urethane-containing alcohol (A) with a (meth)acrylic ester of a saturated alcohol (G) in the presence of at least one polymerization inhibitor (P) with an enzyme (E) as a catalyst in a reactor, wherein the (meth)acrylic ester of a saturated alcohol (G) and the urethane-containing alcohol (A) are passed continuously through at least one fixed bed reactor filled with an immobilized enzyme (E) as a catalyst.

Abstract: A process for preparing urethane-containing (meth)acrylic esters (U) by reacting a urethane-containing alcohol (A) with a (meth)acrylic ester of a saturated alcohol (G) in the presence of at least one polymerization inhibitor (P) with an enzyme (E) as a catalyst in a reactor, wherein a) the saturated alcohol released and any entraining agent used form an azeotrope with the excess corresponding (meth)acrylic ester (G), the azeotrope is removed by distillation under reduced pressure and b) at least a substream from the bottom of the reactor is circulated via the top of the distillation column.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a specific ?-chiral chloromethyl compound in pure or enriched form by distillative removal of the compound mentioned from substance mixtures which comprise this compound and higher-boiling impurities. The ?-chiral chloromethyl compound in question is present in crystalline form at room temperature and is a central intermediate for the preparation of a class of medicaments.

Abstract: A process for preparing high-purity phytantriol, that includes rectifying the phytantriol which is obtained and is contaminated with lower and/or higher boiling byproducts under medium vacuum in rectification columns containing metal cloth packings with ordered structure using channel liquid distributors with a minimum of 500 drip points/m2, which are arranged at an angle of 90° to the cloth layers of the packing elements located directly below the distributors, in which 2 or more of the packing elements underneath the liquid distributors have only a small height, which ensure absolute exclusion of air and a strictly adiabatic procedure. The preparation of high-purity phytantriol takes place particularly advantageously when the phytantriol which is contaminated with byproducts is a phytantriol which has been obtained by reacting isophytol with performic acid and subsequently hydrolyzing the product formed in the reaction with alkaline agents in a manner known per se.