Abstract: In the direct catalytic hydrogenation of glyceride oils, the glyceride oils are continuously reacted with hydrogen under pressures of from 20 to 300 bar and at temperatures of from 160.degree. to 250.degree. C. with molar ratios of hydrogen to fatty acid residues in the glyceride oil substrate of from 10:1 to 500:1, the reaction being carried out over catalysts which contain from 30 to 40% by weight copper, from 23 to 30% by weight chromium, from 1 to 7% by weight barium (% by weight, based in each case on oxidic catalyst mass) and, if desired, other transition metals in the form of their oxides and which, after calcination of the components forming the catalyst mass, are converted into shaped particulate and/or granulated elements with from 1 to 10% by weight, based on oxidic catalyst, of at least one binder, and which have been activated with hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing gas mixture.

Abstract: A process is described for the polymerization of ethylene or copolymerization of ethylene with a C.sub.3 to C.sub.15 alpha olefin in solution, suspension or in the gas phase at 20.degree. to 250.degree. C. and 1 to 100 bars in the presence of a mixed catalyst comprising a separately produced halogen-containing titanium(III) compound and an organoaluminum compound while controlling the molecular weight with oxygen, wherein a mixture of organoaluminum compounds is employed comprising a halogen-containing aluminum alkyl and a trialkyl aluminum compound in a molar ratio of 1:0.05 to 1:20, the combined amount of organoaluminum compounds being present in an amount of 0.01 to 20 moles per one mole of halogen-containing Ti(III) compound.

Abstract: An improvement in a process for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene with an .alpha.-olefin containing 3 to 15 carbon atoms by contacting the monomer or mixture of monomers in solution, suspension or in gas phase at 20.degree. to 250.degree. C. at a pressure of 1 to 50 bar with a mixed catalyst comprising a chlorine containing titanium (III) compound and an organoaluminum compound in the presence of hydrogen, the improvement residing in employing as the organoaluminum compound a trialkylaluminum compound in an amount of 0.1 to 20 mol per mol titanium (III) compound and including in the polymerization mixture oxygen at a concentration of 0.001 to 0.1 volume percent based upon the amount of ethylene. By carrying out the polymerization by including oxygen in the polymerization reaction mixture and employing trialkylaluminum compound as the organoaluminum compound the mean molecular weight of the polymer can be regulated while obtaining a desired molecular weight distribution.

Abstract: In an oxo process, a gas mixture of approximately equal amounts of hydrogen and carbon monoxide for re-use in the process is made by catalytically cracking the "thick oil" residue from the oxo step at elevated temperatures in presence of water vapor and carbon dioxide over a supported metal catalyst.

Abstract: A process for the production of primary amines which comprises reacting compounds containing carbonyl groups with ammonia at a specific temperature, separating the water formed therefrom and hydrogenating the resulting product under pressure.

Abstract: Isobutyraldehyde is cleaved to form propylene, carbon monoxide and hydrogen over a supported rhodium and/or platinum catalyst at a temperature of 200.degree. to 400.degree. C and a pressure of 0.1 to 20 atmospheres. Preferably the isobutyraldehyde is obtained from the oxo synthesis of n-butyraldehyde from propylene and the gases resulting from the cleavage are returned to the oxo synthesis step.

Abstract: An azomethine is produced by reacting a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic aldehyde with ammonia and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst containing at least one group VIII B metal at a temperature of 20.degree. to 200.degree. C. Preferably, the catalyst also contains at least one group VI B metal.

Abstract: Alcohols are recovered from the ester-containing by-product from an oxo-synthesis, especially from the hydroformylation of propylene, by hydrolytically converting said by-product in the presence of water and a high surface area solid, such as an alumina at 250.degree. to 350.degree.C, and separating the alcohol from the material so converted. The converted product is preferably first hydrogenated prior to recovering the alcohol.