Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst containing from 0.1 to 20 mass % rhenium and 0.05 to 10 mass % platinum in relation to the total mass thereof. The inventive method for producing a support for said catalyst consists in a) treating a support which can be eventually pre-treated with the aid of a solution of rhenium compound, b) drying and annealing said support at a temperature ranging from 80 to 600° C., and c) impregnating the support with a solution of platinum compound and in drying it. The inventive method for producing alcohol by catalytic hydrogenation of carbonyl compound on said catalyst is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol by two-stage catalytic hydrogenation in the gas phase of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or of derivatives thereof having the following steps: a) introducing a gas stream of a C4-dicarboxylic acid or of a derivative thereof at from 200 to 300° C. and from 2 to 60 bar into a first reactor and catalytically hydrogenating it to a product which contains mainly optionally alkyl-substituted 7-butyrolactone; b) converting the product stream into the liquid phase; c) introducing the product stream obtained in this way into a second reactor at a temperature of from 100° C. to 240° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for distillatively purifying crude water-containing tetrahydrofuran by passing the crude tetrahydrofuran through three distillation columns, withdrawing water from the bottom of the first column, recycling water-containing tetrahydrofuran from the top of the second column into the first column, passing a sidestream of the first column into the second column, recycling the bottom product of the third column into the first column, and withdrawing a distillate at the top of the first column, which comprises passing a sidestream of the second column into the third column and recovering the pure tetrahydrofuran as the top product of the third column.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing unsubstituted or C1-C4-alkyl-substituted gamma-butyrolactone by catalytic hydrogenation of maleic acid and/or its derivatives in the presence of chromium-free catalyst comprising from 10 to 80% by weight of copper oxide and from 10 to 90% by weight of at least one catalyst support selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, hafnium dioxide, magnesium silicate, activated carbon, silicon carbide, zirconium dioxide and alpha-aluminum oxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing optionally alkyl-substituted 1,4-butanediol by two-stage catalytic hydrogenation in the gas phase of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or of derivatives thereof having the following steps: a) introducing a gas stream of a C4-dicarboxylic acid or of a derivative thereof at from 200 to 300° C. and from 10 to 100 bar into a first reactor or into a first reaction zone of a reactor and catalytically hydrogenating it in the gas phase to a product which contains mainly optionally alkyl-substituted y-butyrolactone; b) introducing the product stream obtained in this way into a second reactor or into a second reaction zone of a reactor at a temperature of from 140° C to 260° C.

Abstract: A process for coproducing alkyl-substituted or unsubstituted THF and pyrrolidones by catalytically hydrogenating C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof in the gas phase in the presence of copper catalysts and reacting GBL with ammonia or primary amines to give pyrrolidones comprises a) hydrogenating C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof in the gas phase at from 200 to 300° C., from 0.1 to 100 bar, catalyst hourly space velocities of from 0.

Abstract: A process for preparing toluene derivatives of the formula I, where R1, R2 and R3 independently of one another are hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6-alkyl, hydroxyl or C1-C6-alkoxy, by hydrogenating benzaldehydes and/or benzyl alcohols of the formula II, with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, which is described in more detail in the description.

Abstract: A catalyst for the hydrogenation of C4-dicarboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, preferably maleic anhydride, in the gas phase comprises