Abstract: The process for carbonylating olefins with carbon monoxide in the presence of water, an alcohol or a carboxylic acid and a halogen-free catalyst comprises using a catalyst comprising nickel or a nickel compound and at least one of the metals of the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, rhenium, ruthenium, osmium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, platinum, silver and gold, or a compound of these metals.

Abstract: Preparation of methyl formate by the reaction of carbon monoxide and methanol under conditions of elevated pressure and temperature in the presence of an alkali metal methylate, in whichA) the starting materials are mixed in a mixing zone, are allowed to react partially, and the reaction solution is saturated with CO andB) the reaction is allowed to reach completion in one or more secondary reaction zones without the addition of further starting materials.

Abstract: A process for preparing formic acid by thermal cleavage of quaternary ammonium formates of the general formula I ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are C.sub.1 - to C.sub.14 -alkyl, C.sub.3 - to C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl, aryl or C.sub.7 - to C.sub.16 -aralkyl, or together are 1,4- or 1,5-alkylene which is unsubstituted or substituted one to four times by C.sub.1 -to C.sub.4 -alkyl, with the proviso that the sum of the carbon atoms of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 in the quaternary ammonium formates I is 7 to 40,comprises carrying out the cleavage in the presence of secondary formamides of the general formula II ##STR2## where R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are C.sub.2 - to C.sub.10 -alkyl, C.sub.3 - to C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl, aryl or C.sub.7 - to C.sub.16 -aralkyl, or together are 1,4- or 1,5-alkylene which is unsubstituted or substituted one to four times by C.sub.1 - to C.sub.4 -alkyl,which formamides boil 30.degree. to 150.degree. C. lower than the tertiary amine of the general formula III ##STR3## where R.sup.1, R.

Abstract: Phenylacetaldehydes of the structure (I) ##STR1## where the substituents X are 2,4-dichloro, difluoro, trifluoro, tetrafluoro, p-trifluoromethyl, 2-methyl-4-fluoro, haloalkoxy or haloalkylthio radicals or are adjacent Cl, F, CF.sub.3, alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy and/or haloalkylthio radicals.

Abstract: To remove phosgene from off-gases, the former is reacted in a washing zone with a liquid which contains or is composed of compounds of the formula ##STR1## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are identical or different and are each aliphatic or cycloaliphatic alkyl of 1 to 8 carbons, or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are --(CH.sub.2).sub.n -- where n is 4 or 5, R.sub.3 is hydrogen or aliphatic or cycloaliphatic alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are --(CH.sub.2).sub.m -- where m is 3, 4 or 5.The liquid can be regenerated by the addition of water, and the regenerated liquid can be returned to the washing zone.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a carboxylic chloride of the general formula I ##STR1## in which R denotes C.sub.1 -C.sub.30 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.30 -alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.30 -alkynyl, from a carboxylic acid of the general formula II ##STR2## in which R has the meanings stated, and phosgene COCl.sub.2 (III), in the presence of a catalyst adduct comprising phosgene and N,N-disubstituted formamide of the general formula IV ##STR3## in which R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkyl or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together form a C.sub.4 - or C.sub.5 -alkylene chain which may or may not be interrupted by an oxygen atom or by a nitrogen atom carrying a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkyl group or CHO, the product being isolated by phase separation, wherein the amount of phosgene added to the formamide (IV) is from 20 to 70% molar, based on the formamide.

Abstract: The preparation of an alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl chloride by the reaction of a corresponding alcohol with phosgene or thionyl chloride in the presence of a phosphine oxide acting as catalyst, wherein the catalyst used is an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or cyclic/aliphatic phosphine oxide.

Abstract: Trialkylamines and methyl formate are recovered from reaction mixtures obtained in the preparation of trimethylolalkanes by reaction of n-alkanals with from 2.2 to 4.5 moles of formaldehyde in aqueous solution in the presence of from 0.6 to 3 mole of trialkylamine, each quantity based on 1 mole of alkanal, and subsequent hydrogenation in a process wherein the crude reaction mixturea) is heated to from 100.degree. to 200.degree. C.

Abstract: Vinyl ethers of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are identical to or different from one another, each being hydrogen, straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl of up to 12 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl or cycloalkylene of from 5 to 8 carbon atoms, aryl, alkylaryl, alkenylaryl, aralkyl and aralkenyl of from 6 to 16 carbon atoms, halogen-substituted aryl or heterocyclyl, and in addition the radicals R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 or R.sup.1 and R.sup.3, together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded, can form a cycloalkane, cycloalkene or a heterocycle, and R.sup.4 is alkyl, alkylaryl or aralkyl, are prepared by eliminating an alcohol from an acetal/ketal of the formula ##STR2## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.

Abstract: Aqueous glyoxal solutions which contain organic acids are purified by means of a membrane cell comprising two or more compartments by passing the glyoxal solution through at least one of the cell compartments separated from the neighboring compartment(s) by anion exchange membranes and by passing the aqueous solution of a base through at least one of the neighboring compartments.

Abstract: Phenylacetaldehydes of the general formula I ##STR1## where each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 is independently of the others hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted or halogen-substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyl, alkylthio or cycloalkyl, are prepared by converting glycidic esters of the general formula II ##STR2## where each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 is as defined above and R.sup.6 is tertbutyl or i-propyl, in the presence of zeolites and/or phosphates and/or phosphoric or boric acid on a carrier material and/or acidic metal oxides as catalysts.

Abstract: Aldehydes and ketones are prepared from epoxides of the formula ##STR1## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkoxy or aralkyl and R.sup.3 has the same meanings or is hydrogen, by a catalytic rearrangement reaction in the presence of various catalysts, in particular zeolites of the pentasil type.

Abstract: .alpha.-Ketocarboxylic esters ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are identical to or different from one another and are each hydrogen or straight-chain or branched alkyl, alkenyl, hydroxyl, alkoxy cycloalkyl or halogen and R.sup.6 is unbranched lower alkyl, are prepared by reacting glycidic esters of the formula ##STR2## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are each as defined above, in the presence of zeolites or phosphates and/or phosphoric acid or boric acid on a carrier material and/or acidic metal oxides as catalysts and are used for preparing phenylacetic esters.

Abstract: Enol ethers of the general formula I ##STR1## are prepared by eliminating the radical R.sup.4 OH from acetals or ketals of the formula II ##STR2## where the substituents R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently of the other hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 cycloalkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -cycloalkenyl, unsubstituted or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl-substituted aryl or C.sub.7 -C.sub.16 aralkyl,R.sup.3 is --CR.sup.5 (OR.sup.4).sub.2, --COOR.sup.4 or --COR.sup.4,R.sup.4 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.20 -alkylaryl or C.sub.7 -C.sub.20 -aralkyl,R.sup.5 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl,in a process which comprises performing the reaction in the presence of phosphoric acid and/or phosphates on a carrier material and/or phosphates and/or zeolites as catalysts.

Abstract: Phenylethanols of the formula ##STR1## where R is hydrogen, alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxy of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, fluorine, trifluoromethyl or trifluoromethoxy, are prepared by reacting epoxides of the formula ##STR2## where R is as defined above, in the presence of hydrogen over zeolites and/or phosphates, doped with hydrogenating metal as catalysts, preferably over zeolites of the pentasil type.

Abstract: Aqueous glyoxylic acid solutions, essentially free of other acids, are recovered from aqueous solutions which still contain other acids, by a method in which the aqueous solution is mixed with an organic nitrogen compound at as high as 50.degree. C., the phases are separated, and the glyoxylic acid is extracted from the organic phase with water, at a higher temperature.

Abstract: Vinyl ethers of the formula (I) ##STR1## where R.sup.1 to R.sup.3 are identical or different and are each hydrogen, a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical of not more than 12 carbon atoms, halogen-substituted alkyl, a cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl radical of 5 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl, alkylaryl, alkenylaryl, aralkyl or aralkenyl radical of 6 to 16 carbon atoms, halogen-substituted aryl or a heterocyclic radical and furthermore R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 or R.sup.1 and R.sup.3, together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded, may form a cycloalkane, cycloalkene or heterocyclic structure, and R.sup.4 is alkyl, alkylaryl or aralkyl, are prepared by a process in which an alcohol is eliminated from an acetal or ketal of the formula (II) ##STR2## where R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 have the above meanings, in the presence of borosilicate and/or iron silicate zeolites as catalysts.

Abstract: Alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones of the formula (I) ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl or alkylaryl, are prepared by converting the corresponding .alpha.-hydroxy, alkoxy or carboxy compound in the presence of an acidic catalyst.Preferred starting materials are 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butan-2-one, 3-methyl-3-hydroxypentan-2-one and 3-pentamethylene-3-hydroxypropan-2-one, and preferred catalysts are zeolites of the pentasil type.

Abstract: Unsaturated ketones of the formula ##STR1## and saturated ketones of the formula ##STR2## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl or alkylaryl radical which inturn may be substituted, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, together with the carbon atoms to which they are bonded, may form a cycloalkane, are prepared by a process in which a 5-methylene-1,3-dioxolanone which is substituted in the 4-position and is of the forumla ##STR3## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 have the above meanings, (a) for the preparation of an unsaturated ketone, is converted in the presence of a zeolite, of a phosphate having a zeolite structure and/or of B, Ce, Fe, Zr or Sr phosphate as catalysts and (b) for the preparation of a saturated ketone, is converted in the presence of the same catalysts which additionally carry one or more hydrogenation components.

Abstract: Ketones of the formula ##STR1## where R.sup.1 to R.sup.3 are each hydrogen and R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 are each alkyl of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 4 to 8 carbon atoms, aryl, aralkyl or alkylaryl, which each in turn may be substituted, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together with the carbon atoms to which they are bonded form a cycloalkane, are prepared by reacting ketones of the formula ##STR2## where one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.5 is hydroxyl, alkoxy or carboxyl while the remaining R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 have the abovementioned meanings, with hydrogen in the presence of acid catalysts supporting one or more hydrogenation components, zeolites of the pentasil type being particularly suitable.