Abstract: A process is described for preparing nickel(0)-phosphorus ligand complexes containing at least one nickel(0) central atom and at least one phosphorus ligand. The process comprises reducing a nickel(II) source comprising nickel bromide, nickel iodide or mixtures thereof in the presence of at least one phosphorus ligand.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing nickel(0)-phosphorus ligand complexes starting from nickel(II)-ether adducts.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing a nickel(0)-phosphorus ligand complex containing at least one nickel(0)central atom and at least one phosphorus ligand, which comprises reducing a nickel(II) halide dried by azeotropic distillation in the presence of at least one phosphorus ligand.

Abstract: The invention relates to phosphinite phosphites I of formula 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 and mixtures thereof, wherein R1, R2, R4 independently represent an alkyl or alkylene group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, provided that at least one of the groups R1, R2, R4 is different from H; R5 to R22 independently represent H, an alkyl or alkylene group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms; R3 is H, methyl or ethyl; X is F, Cl or CF3, if n=1 or 2 and X is H, if n=0.

Abstract: A process for separating a mixture comprising a) a monoolefinically unsaturated compound which is obtainable by adding two terminal olefins which bear the functional groups required to prepare the monoolefinically unsaturated compound containing at least two functional groups, or a saturated compound obtained by hydrogenating such a compound, b) a compound which is obtainable by adding more than two of the terminal olefins mentioned in a) or a compound obtained by hydrogenating such a compound, and c) a compound which contains a transition metal, is homogeneous with respect to the mixture and is suitable as a catalyst for preparing a monoolefinically unsaturated compound by adding two terminal olefins which bear the functional groups required to prepare the monoolefinically unsaturated compound containing at least two functional groups, by means of a semipermeable membrane to obtain a permeate and a retentate in such a way that the weight ratio of component b) to component c) in the mixture fed to the semiper

Abstract: A process for removing a compound which bears at least two functional groups which are each independently selected from the group consisting of nitrile group, carboxylic acid group, carboxylic ester group and carboxamide group, from a mixture which comprises a compound which bears at least two functional groups which are each independently selected from the group consisting of nitrile group, carboxylic acid group, carboxylic ester group and carboxamide group, and a compound which is homogeneous with respect to the mixture and contains rhodium, by distillation.

Abstract: A process for hydrocyanating an olefinically unsaturated nitrile in the presence of an Ni(0)-containing catalyst, which comprises carrying out the reaction in the presence of a hydrocarbon which leads under certain pressure, concentration and temperature conditions to the formation of at least two liquid phases of the overall system, of which one phase has a higher proportion of the Ni(0)-containing catalyst, based on the total weight of this phase, than the other phase or other phases.

Abstract: A system which is suitable as a catalyst for the hydrocyanation of olefinically unsaturated compounds and comprises a) Ni(0) b) a compound which complexes Ni(0) as a ligand and contains trivalent phosphorus, c) a Lewis acid and d) a compound of the formula M Rn where M: Al or Ti R: identical or different monovalent alkoxy radicals, in which case a plurality of alkoxy radicals may be bonded together, and additionally, in the case that M=Al, R may be identical or different monovalent alkyl radicals, in which case a plurality of alkyl radicals may be bonded together or one or more alkyl radicals may be bonded to one or more of the abovementioned alkoxy radicals, n: valency of M, and processes for hydrocyanating an olefinically unsaturated compound in the presence of such a system.

Abstract: The invention is a process for preparing tetraalkyl-substituted biphenol which comprises reacting a 2,4- or 2,6-dialkyl substituted phenol in which the alkyl groups contain 1 to 6 carbon atoms with a peroxidase enzyme in the presence of a peroxide in an aqueous medium to yield a tetraalkyl-substituted biphenol by oxidative coupling of the 2,4- or 2,6-dialkyl substituted phenol, or yielding a tetra-alkyl substituted quinone, and reducing the quinone to obtain a tetraalkyl-substituted biphenol. The invention further includes a process for preparing a tetraaryl-substituted biphenol in which the aryl groups contain 6 to 10 carbon atoms which comprises racting a 2,4 or 2,6 diarylphenol with a peroxidase enzyme to yield a tetraaryl-substituted biphenol. A process for reducing a tetraalkyl-substituted quinone to corresponding tetraalkyl-substituted biphenol which comprises reducing the quinone with a phenol in an aqueous medium at a temperature of about 60° to 120° C. is also included.

Abstract: A process for hydrogenating a monoolefinically unsaturated compound which bears at least two functional groups which are each independently selected from the group consisting of nitrile group, carboxylic acid group, carboxylic ester group, carboxamide group to a saturated compound which bears the same at least two functional groups, in the presence of a rhodium-containing compound, as a catalyst, which is homogeneous with respect to the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A process for dewatering hydrocyanic acid by distillation, which comprises distilling crude hydrocyanic acid containing from 50 to 99.9% by weight of HCN, from 0.1 to 40% by weight of water, from 0 to 15% by weight of carbon oxides and optionally from 0.01 to 1% by weight of an involatile stablilizer, at a pressure of from 1 bar to 2.5 bar, a bottom temperature of from 100° C. to 130° C. and a top temperature of from 25° C. to 54° C., in the absence of a volatile stabilizer, in a distillation column to obtain a top draw stream containing purified, anhydrous hydrocyanic acid and carbon oxides and a bottom draw stream comprising water and, where appropriate, the involatile stabilizer.

Abstract: A process for continuously preparing a compound which bears at least two functional groups which are each independently selected from the group consisting of nitrile group, carboxylic acid group, carboxylic ester group and carboxamide group, comprising the steps of a) adding two terminal olefins which bear the functional groups required to prepare the compound as per a1) containing at least two functional groups, in the presence of a compound as per a3) which is suitable as a catalyst for this addition and is homogeneous with respect to the reaction mixture to obtain a mixture comprising a1) a compound which is obtained by monoaddition of the two terminal olefins mentioned and bears at least two functional groups which are each independently selected from the group consisting of nitrile group, carboxylic acid group, carboxylic ester group and carboxamide group, a2) a compound which is obtained by polyaddition of the two terminal olefins mentioned and a3) the compound which is suitable as a catalyst for this a

Abstract: A process for the recovery of a Lewis acid from a reaction mixture (I) which has been obtained in the hydrocyanation of an olefinically unsaturated compound to a nitrile which has a miscibility gap with water under certain pressure and temperature conditions, in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Lewis acid and a complex compound.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a dicarboxylic acid of the formula (I) —H—OOC-(n-C4Hx)—COO—H??(I) where x is 6 or 8, starting from acrylic acid, which comprises a) reacting a dicarboxylic acid diester of the formula (II) R1—OOC-(n-C4Hx)—COO—R2??(II) where x is 6 or 8, and R1 and R2, independently of one another, are C1-, C2-, C3- or C4-alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl and may be identical to or different from one another, with acrylic acid to give a dicarboxylic acid of the formula (I) and a mixture of acrylic acid esters of the formulae C2H3—COOR1 and C2H3—COOR2, where R1 and R2 are as defined above, b) separating the dicarboxylic acid of the formula (I) obtained in step a) from the reaction mixture obtained in step a), c) dimerizing the C2H3—COOR1, C2H3—COOR2 or mixture thereof obtained in step a) to give an n-butenedicarboxylic acid diester, and d) cleaving the dicarboxylic acid diester obtained in step c) into the corresponding dicarboxylic acid of the formula (I).

Abstract: A process for the recovery of a Lewis acid from a reaction mixture (I) which has been obtained in the hydrocyanation of an olefinically unsaturated compound to a nitrile which has a miscibility gap with water under certain pressure and temperature conditions, in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Lewis acid and a complex compound.

Abstract: A process for the removal of water from a mixture comprising water and zinc chloride, which comprises adding to said mixture comprising water and zinc chloride an aprotic, polar diluent whose boiling point in the case where an azeotrope is not formed between said diluent and water under the pressure conditions of the distillation mentioned below is higher than the boiling point of water and which is in liquid form at this boiling point of water or which forms an azeotrope or heteroazeotrope with water under the pressure and temperature conditions of the distillation mentioned below, and distilling the mixture comprising water, zinc chloride and the diluent with removal of water or said azeotrope or said heteroazeotrope from this mixture, giving an anhydrous mixture comprising zinc chloride and said diluent.