Abstract: Alkyl-substituted butenols having the formula (I): R1—CH2—CH?CR2—CH2OH ??(I) wherein R1 is a saturated or olefinically unsaturated alkyl or cycloalkyl group having from 4 to 16 carbon atoms and wherein R1 is optionally substituted by an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or alkaryl having up to 12 carbon atoms; R2 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms are produced by a process which comprises: (1) reacting an aldehyde of the formula (II): R1—CH2—CHO ??(II) wherein R1 has the same meaning as in formula (I), with the corresponding lower aldehyde to form an unsaturated aldehyde in an inert organic solvent; (2) continuously contacting an optionally calcined copper/zinc catalyst with the unsaturated aldehyde under isothermal conditions at temperatures of from about 45 to about 60° C. and under a hydrogen pressure of from 1 to about 300 bar.

Abstract: A process for making aldehydes involving: (a) providing a fatty alcohol; (b) providing an oxidic copper/zinc catalyst; and (c) continuously dehydrogenating the fatty alcohol, in the presence of the oxidic copper/zinc catalyst, at a temperature of from about 200 to 280° C. and a pressure of from about 10 mbar to 1 bar.

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: Oxidic catalysts containing 20 to 25% by weight of aluminum and 40 to 50% by weight of zinc which are suitable for the production of unsaturated fatty alcohols containing 8 to 22 carbon atoms by hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids, fatty acid lower alkyl esters or unsaturated fatty acid glycerides are disclosed. A process for the production of the oxidic aluminum/zinc catalysts is also disclosed.

Abstract: Naturally occurring fats, oils and fatty derivatives are continuously hydrogenated to fatty alcohols in a fixed-bed reactor in the presence of hydrogen in excess and hydrogenation catalysts under static pressures of 50 to 300 bar and at temperatures of 160 to 320° C. The liquid product is cooled and the excess hydrogen is returned to the reactor entrance by a gas circulation pump as a recycle gas after separation of the liquid product. The expense involved in cooling and reheating the recycle gas is eliminated without any reduction in the quality of the fatty alcohol produced providing the recycle gas is returned to the reactor entrance without reheating and the hydrogenation reaction is carried out under static pressures of at least 200 bar.

Abstract: A process for making aldehydes involving: (a) providing a fatty alcohol; (b) providing an oxidic copper/zinc catalyst; and (c) continuously dehydrogenating the fatty alcohol, in the presence of the oxidic copper/zinc catalyst, at a temperature of from about 200 to 280° C. and a pressure of from about 10 mbar to 1 bar.

Abstract: Oxidic catalysts containing 20 to 25% by weight of aluminum and 40 to 50% by weight of zinc which are suitable for the production of unsaturated fatty alcohols containing 8 to 22 carbon atoms by hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids, fatty acid lower alkyl esters or unsaturated fatty acid glycerides are disclosed. A process for the production of the oxidic aluminum/zinc catalysts is also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for making branched, substantially unsaturated fatty alcohols involving: (a) providing a C16-22 fatty acid; (b) dimerizing the C16-22 fatty acid to form a monomer fraction containing branched, substantially unsaturated fatty acids; (c) removing the monomer fraction; (d) esterifying the branched, substantially unsaturated fatty acids contained in the monomer fraction into branched, substantially unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters; and (e) hydrogenating the branched, substantially unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters with their double bonds intact, to form the branched, substantially unsaturated fatty alcohols.

Abstract: A process for the production of fatty acid lower alkyl esters comprising the steps of:A) treating at least one fatty acid ester of glycerol with from about 0.3 to about 3% by weight, based on the weight of ester, of an acid at an elevated temperature;B) removing said acid from the treated fatty acid ester; andC) reacting the treated fatty acid ester with at least one lower aliphatic alcohol to transesterify the fatty acid ester.

Abstract: A composition useful as a release agent for hydraulic binders is provided. The composition comprises water, an oil component comprising a water-immiscible monohydric alcohol component liquid at temperatures of 5.degree. to 15.degree. C. and selected from the group consisting of unsaturated fatty alcohols containing 12 to 22 carbon atoms and having iodine values of 40 to 170, Guerbet alcohols containing 16 to 28 carbon atoms, oxoalcohols containing 8 to 15 carbon atoms, and saturated alcohols containing 6 to 10 carbon atoms, and 0.5 to 5% by weight of an emulsifier, based on the oil component. The release agent is particularly useful for the treatment of formwork material in concrete construction.

Abstract: Fatty acid glycerides can be transesterified with lower aliphatic alcohols if the reaction is carried out in the presence of fatty acids corresponding to formula (II):R.sup.2 --COOH (II),in which R.sup.2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon moiety containing 11 to 17 carbon atoms and 0, 1 or 2 double bonds. The products are distinguished by a low content of bound glycerol and a low acid value. Removal or neutralization of the catalyst is unnecessary because, after the transesterification, the fatty acids are also present in the form of their esters.

Abstract: C.sub.8-22 fatty alcohols are produced by a process which comprises contacting a triglyceride with hydrogen in the presence of a copper-zinc catalyst and in a reaction zone. The hydrogen pressure in the reaction zone is from about 200 to about 280 bar, the temperature of the entrance of the reaction zone is from about 200.degree. C. to about 230.degree. C., and the temperature of the exit of the reaction zone is from about 190.degree. C. to about 220.degree. C. The amount of 1,2-propanediol formed is optimized by the lower temperature of the exit portion of the reaction zone.

Abstract: Fatty acid alkyl esters are produced by catalytic transesterification of natural fats and oils containing free fatty acids. In a preliminary esterifying step, the free fatty acids present are reacted with a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanol (e.g., methanol) in the presence of an acidic esterification catalyst, at a temperature of about 50.degree. to 120.degree. C. and at substantially atmospheric pressure. The resulting reaction mixture is allowed to separate into two phases: (1) an alcohol phase containing the acidic esterification catalyst and part of the water of reaction and (2) an oil phase. These phases separately recovered. The oil phase is then extracted with an immiscible extractant, preferably comprising a mixture of glycerol and methanol, to remove residual water of reaction. In the final step the extracted oil phase is transesterified with a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanol, e.g. methanol, in the presence of an aklali catalyst and at substantially atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: For the production of fatty acid esters of short-chain, aliphatic alcohols by the catalytic transesterification of natural fats and/or oils containing free fatty acids (oil phase) with the corresponding monoalcohols, the oil phase is subjected to preliminary esterification with the monoalcohols in the presence of acidic esterification catalysts at temperatures no higher than 120.degree. C. and under pressures no higher than 5 bars and in the presence of a liquid entraining agent substantially immiscible with the oil phase, after which the reaction product is separated into an entraining agent phase containing the acidic catalyst and water of reaction and the treated oil phase, the oil phase is then subjected to transesterification while the acidic catalyst-containing entraining agent phase is returned, after at least partial drying, to the preliminary esterification stage.