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: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of alkylarylsulfonates by a) reaction of a C4-olefin mixture over a metathesis catalyst for the preparation of an olefin mixture comprising 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene, and optional removal of 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene, b) dimerization of the 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene obtained in stage a) over a dimerization catalyst to give a mixture containing C10-12-olefins, and optional removal of the C10-12-olefins, c) reaction of the C10-12-olefin mixtures obtained in stage b) with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylating catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds, where, prior to the reaction, additional linear olefins may be added, d) sulfonation of the alkylaromatic compounds obtained in stage c), and neutralization to give alkylarylsulfonates, where, prior to the sulfonation, linear alkylbenzenes may additionally be added, e) optional mixing of the alkylarylsulfonates obtained in stage d) with linear alkylarylsulfonates.

Abstract: A system comprising a diphosphine of the formula R1>P—(CH)n—PR2R3 where R1 is a divalent radical which together with the phosphorus atom to which it is linked forms an unsubstituted or substituted 2-phosphatricyclo[3.3.1.1{3,7}]decyl group or a derivative thereof in which one or more of the carbon atoms are replaced by heteroatoms, R2, R3 are each, independently of one another, a monovalent radical having from 1 to 20 atoms or together form a divalent radical having from 2 to 20 atoms, n is 4 or 5, and a mixture of such diphosphines, and palladium or a palladium compound is suitable as carbonylation catalyst for the carbonylation of a conjugated diene.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol having a purity of ?99.5% by weight by catalytically dimerizing acrylic esters and catalytically hydrogenating the hexenedioic diesters obtained in this way to 1,6-hexanediol by a) dimerizing C1- to C8-acrylic esters in the presence of at least one rhodium compound to give mixtures of predominantly 2- and 3-hexenedioic diesters, b) hydrogenating the resulting dimerizing effluent in the presence of chromium-free catalysts comprising predominantly copper as the hydrogenation component and c) purifying the crude 1,6-hexanediol obtained in this way by fractional distillation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of methyl formate by reacting methanol with carbon monoxide at a pressure of from 0.5 to 10 MPa abs. and a temperature of from 50 to 150° C. in the presence of a metal alkoxide as catalyst in a reactor, in which a gas stream is withdrawn from the reactor, entrained methyl formate is removed from this gas stream by condensation, and all or some of the remaining gas stream is returned to the reactor as circulating-gas stream and a mean gas superficial velocity of from 1 to 20 cm/s is set in at least one region of the reactor in which the gas flows essentially in one direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to phosphacyclohexanes of general formulae I and II, wherein the following designations, among others, apply: R can represent hydrogen, C1-100-alkyl, C7-20-aralkyl, C7-20-alkaryl, and C6-12-aryl: R1 to R10 can independently represent hydrogen, C1-20-alkyl, C7-20-aralkyl, C7-20-alkaryl, and C6-12-aryl: W, W? can independently represent single bonds or bridges comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms, which can form part of a cyclic or aromatic group and can be interrupted by heteroatoms. Said phosphacyclohexanes are used as ligands in transition metal complexes of transition metals belonging to groups VIII to X of the periodic table.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing dialdehydes and/or ethylenically unsaturated monoaldehydes by reacting at least one compound with at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a hydroformylating catalyst with at least one complex of a metal of subgroup VIII. The subgroup comprises at least pnicogen chelate ligands.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol having a purity of ?99.5% by weight by catalytically dimerizing acrylic esters and catalytically hydrogenating the hexenedioic diesters obtained in this way to 1,6-hexanediol by a) dimerizing C1- to C8-acrylic esters in the presence of at least one rhodium compound to give mixtures of predominantly 2- and 3-hexenedioic diesters, b) hydrogenating the resulting dimerizing effluent in the presence of chromium-free catalysts comprising predominantly copper as the hydrogenation component and c) purifying the crude 1,6-hexanediol obtained in this way by fractional distillation.

Abstract: Novel compounds of phosphorus, of arsenic and of antimony can be used as ligands to form complexes of metals of transition group VIII which can be used in catalysts for hydroformylation, hydrocyanation, carbonylation, hydrogenations, oligomerization and polymerization of olefins and for metathesis.

Abstract: A process for preparing a C13-alcohol mixture comprises a) bringing a butene-containing C4-hydrocarbon stream containing less than 5% by weight, based on the butene fraction, of isobutene into contact with a nickel-containing heterogeneous catalyst at elevated temperature, b) isolating a C12-olefin fraction from the reaction mixture, c) hydroformylating the C12-olefin fraction by reaction with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt catalyst and d) hydrogenating the product from c). The alcohol mixture is suitable for preparing surfactants by alkoxylation, glycosidation, sulfation, phosphation, alkoxylation and subsequent sulfation or alkoxylation and subsequent phosphation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst system for carbonylating olefinically or acetylenically unsaturated compounds with carbon monoxide and a nucleophile compound, containing (a) palladium; (b) a phosphine and (c) a polymer containing nitrogen which is soluble in the reaction mixture, with the exception of polyvinyl polymers with aromatic radicals containing nitrogen on the polymer chain. The invention also relates to a method for carbonylation in the presence of one such catalyst system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of methyl formate by reacting methanol with carbon monoxide at a pressure of from 0.5 to 10 MPa abs. and a temperature of from 50 to 150° C. in the presence of a metal alkoxide as catalyst in a reactor, in which a gas stream is withdrawn from the reactor, entrained methyl formate is removed from this gas stream by condensation, and all or some of the remaining gas stream is returned to the reactor as circulating-gas stream and a mean gas superficial velocity of from 1 to 20 cm/s is set in at least one region of the reactor in which the gas flows essentially in one direction.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing acid formates in which methyl formate is reacted with water and a basic compound having a pKa of the conjugate acid of the corresponding dissociation state of ?3 measured at 25° C. in aqueous solution, the methanol formed is separated off and, optionally, the desired acid content is set by adding formic acid.

Abstract: The invention describes a process for the preparation of surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers which are, inter alia, highly suitable as surfactants or for the preparation of surfactants. The process, starting from olefin mixtures having a defined minimum content of linear hexenes, gives mixtures having a predominant fraction of branched dodecenes, which are subsequently derivatized to give surfactant alcohols and then optionally alkoxylated. The surfactant alcohol mixture obtained in the process has a degree of branching of from 2.0 to 3.0 and in particular exhibits advantageous properties as regards ecotoxicity and biodegradability. A description is also given of the use of the surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers as surfactants by glycosidation or polyglycosidation, sulfation or phosphation.

Abstract: A telephony communications approach implements an autodiscover feature that enables an endpoint device to automatically locate and establish communication with a desirable server in a web of interconnected servers. In one specific example implementation, the endpoint device is an internet-type telephone communicating with a remotely-located server in an internet-based private branch exchange. Various packet-communicating endpoint devices are adapted to communicate with the internet-based private branch exchange by adapting each to automatically broadcast its identity and, in response to receiving an assignment for the appropriated iPBX, establish communication with the internet-based private branch exchange from other packet-based servers. Other aspects of the invention are directed to approaches for distinguishing the desired internet-based private branch exchange from the other packet-based servers and implementations for assigning the appropriate iPBX.

Abstract: A process for preparing surfactant alcohols and surfactant alcohol ethers by derivatization of olefins having about 10 to 20 carbon atoms or of mixtures of such olefins and optional subsequent alkoxylation is described. As features, the process involves (a) subjecting a C4-olefin mixture with a 1-butene/2-butene ratio of ?1.2 to a metathesis, (b) separating off olefins having 5 to 8 carbon atoms from the metathesis mixture, (c) subjecting the separated-off olefins individually or in a mixture to a dimerization to give olefin mixtures having 10 to 16 carbon atoms, (d) subjecting the resulting olefin mixture, optionally after a fractionation, to derivatization to give a mixture of surfactant alcohols and (e) optionally alkoxylating the surfactant alcohols. The olefin mixture obtained in the dimerization comprises a high content of branched components and less than 10% by weight of compounds which contain a vinylidene group.

Abstract: A catalyst comprising at least one complex of a metal of transition group VIII comprising at least one monodentate, bidentate or multidentate phosphinamidite ligand in which the phosphorus atom and the oxygen atom of the phosphinamidite group form part of a 5- to 8-membered heterocycle can be used for the hydroformylation and hydrocyanation of compounds containing at least one ethylenically unsaturated double bond. The phosphinamidite ligand is, for example, represented by the following formulae wherein represents an optionally substituted 5- to 8-membered heterocycle wherein A represents carbon ring members; represents an optionally substituted N-bonded heterocycle wherein (Het) indicates optional ring heteroatoms in addition to the N; and B is a carbon-carbon single bond or a divalent bridging group.

Abstract: Essentially monounsaturated polyalkylenes having from 30 to 700 carbon atoms are continuously hydroformylated by a process in which i) a hydroformylation-active cobalt carbonyl catalyst is prepared from a catalyst precursor dissolved in an aqueous phase in the absence of the polyalkylenes, ii) the polyalkylenes are hydroformylated by means of synthesis gas in the presence of the cobalt carbonyl catalyst in a reaction zone, iii) the cobalt carbonyl catalyst is separated from the output from the reaction zone with at least partial reformation of the catalyst precursor and the catalyst precursor is recirculated to step i).

Abstract: Process for the carbonylation of n-pentenoic acid or its derivatives of the formula (I) C4H7—R1??(I) where R1 is —CN or COOR2 where R2 is hydrogen, alkyl or aryl by reaction of a compound of the formula (I) with carbon monoxide and a compound (II) containing a hydroxyl group in the presence of a catalyst system, wherein the catalyst system is obtainable by reaction of a) a source for a metal ion of a metal (III) of the 8th subgroup of the Periodic Table of the Elements with b) a bidentate phosphine ligand of the formula (IV) (R3R4R5C)(R6R7R8C)P-L1-X-L2-P(CR9R10R11) (CR12R13R14)??(IV) where R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14 independently of one another is an organic radical which in each case contains a carbon atom, via which the respective radical is linked to the relevant tertiary carbon atom mentioned in formula (IV); L1, L2 independently of one another are a lower alkylene group; X is an arylene group.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing acid formates in which methyl formate is reacted with water and a basic compound having a pKa of the conjugate acid of the corresponding dissociation state of ?3 measured at 25° C. in aqueous solution, the methanol formed is separated off and, optionally, the desired acid content is set by adding formic acid.