Abstract: Alkali metal alkoxides are prepared by reacting alkali metal amalgam with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst comprising iron having a carbon content of at least 0.3% by weight.

Abstract: A process for the continuous recovery of (meth)acrylic acid from the reaction gases of a catalytic gas-phase oxidation by (I) absorption in a high-boiling solvent, (II) isolation of the (meth)acrylic acid from the mixture with the solvent and, if required, further purification of the (meth)acrylic acid isolated, (III) purification of the solvent and (IV) recycling of the purified solvent to absorption stage (I) is proposed, the temperature in each process stage not exceeding 155° C., in particular 140° C., preferably 120° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of amines by hydrogenation of nitro compounds, which comprises carrying out the hydrogenation in a vertical reactor whose length is greater than its diameter, having a downward-facing jet nozzle arranged in the upper region of the reactor through which the starting materials and the reaction mixture are fed in, and having an outlet at any desired point of the reactor, through which the reaction mixture is fed back to the jet nozzle in an external circuit by means of a conveying means, and having flow reversal in the lower region of the reactor.

Abstract: A process for the continuous recovery of (meth) acrylic acid from the reaction gases of a catalytic gas-phase oxidation by (I) absorption in a high-boiling solvent, (II) isolation of the (meth)acrylic acid from the mixture with the solvent and, if required, further purification of the (meth)acrylic acid isolated, (III) purification of the solvent and (IV) recycling of the purified solvent to absorption stage (I) is proposed, the temperature in each process stage not exceeding 155° C., in particular 140° C., preferably 120° C.

Abstract: Described is a process for preparing substituted butenes of the formula I and/or II, where the radical R is unsubstituted or mono- or di-C1-C10-alkoxy-substituted or mono- or dihydroxy-substituted C2-C20-alkyl or alkenyl or is C6-C10-aryl, C7-C11-aralkyl or methyl by reacting 1,3-butadiene with an alcohol of the formula ROH in which R is as defined in the presence of an acidic particulate catalyst insoluble in the reaction medium, which involves contacting the butadiene, the alcohol and the catalyst in a fluidized bed reactor which is flow-approached from below and is operated at above the loosening point.

Abstract: A process for the continuous production of 1,3-dioxolan-2-ones such as ethylene carbonate or propylene carbonate by reacting a corresponding oxirane with carbon dioxide in the liquid phase in the presence of a catalyst comprises conducting the reaction in a two-part reactor in whose first part the reaction is taken with backmixing to a conversion of not less than 80% of the oxirane II and in whose second part the reaction is completed under nonbackmixing conditions, and passing the carbon dioxide in countercurrent to the oxirane II in the entire reactor.

Abstract: A process for breaking down aromatics in industrial wastewaters that contain small amounts of aromatics by reaction with an ozone-containing oxygen stream at a temperature of from 40 to 70° C. and at a pH of from 4 to 7, involves treating industrial wastewaters that contain small amounts of aromatics in two stages with an oxygen stream that contains from 5 to 8% by volume of ozone with thorough mixing by causing the wastewater to flow upward through two reaction zones, the overflow of the wastewater at the top of the first reaction zone entering the second reaction zone at the base, the purified wastewater being obtained at the top of the second reaction zone, the ozone-containing oxygen stream first entering at the base of the second reaction zone, and the waste gas obtained at the top of the second reactor being introduced at the base of the first reaction zone, and, furthermore, a gas containing less than 0.2% by volume of ozone being obtained at the top of the first reaction zone.

Abstract: Process for carrying out gas/liquid reactions at from (-50.degree.) to 300.degree. C. and from 0.1 to 100 bar by carrying out the reaction in the absence of a continuous gas phase, and, as a special case, a process for the batchwise reaction of acetylene in the liquid phase at from 0.degree. to 300.degree. C. and from 2 to 30 bar, in which acetylene is introduced a) in the absence of a continuous gas phase and b) under isobaric conditions to a degree of saturation of from 5 to 100%.

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: Olefinically unsaturated compounds are hydroformylated continuously, the olefin being passed into the lower region of the reactor, under from 1 to 40 bar and at from 50.degree. to 140.degree. C. with the aid of a rhodium complex as a catalyst in a hydroformylation reactor having a liquid reaction zone which occupies about 60-85% of the reactor volume, the gaseous products and reactants being removed from the hydroformylation reactor, the products being isolated and the major part of the remaining gas being recycled to the reactor by the cycle gas method, by a process in which from 20 to 80% by volume of the cycle gas is fed into the hydroformylation reactor above the liquid reaction zone and/or below the liquid surface in the top fourth of the liquid reaction zone.

Abstract: Oxygen-containing compounds are prepared by oxidizing a hydrocarbon in the liquid phase with a gas containing molecular oxygen, at elevated temperatures and under superatmospheric pressure, by a continuous process in which the said gas is fed into the liquid reaction mixture, in a downward direction, at several points along the reaction zone via nozzle apertures, so that it emerges at each nozzle aperture with a velocity of from 0.01 to 1 m/sec in an amount of from 0.001 to 10 liters per second per nozzle aperture, and the said reaction mixture is brought into substantially uniform contact with the gas containing molecular oxygen, over the volume of the reaction zone.

Abstract: A process for treating a liquid with a gas in a circulatory reactor, in which the gas is introduced by a jet of liquid into a circulating liquid, is entrained downwards in a tube, rises in an annular space surrounding the tube and--if it has not reacted completely--is again entrained downward over the upper edge of the tube. Using the process according to the invention, a very uniform gas distribution and, in the case of heterogeneous reactions, also a very uniform distribution of the suspended catalyst, is achieved over the entire reaction space.

Abstract: Hydroxylammonium salts are manufactured by a process comprising the catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with hydrogen in a dilute aqueous solution of a mineral acid in the presence of a suspended platinum catalyst at an elevated temperature, wherein the reaction mixture is recycled and the gas mixture, containing nitric oxide and hydrogen, present in the gas space above the reaction zone, is introduced, by means of one or more downwardly directed jets of liquid, consisting of the recycled reaction mixture and issuing from a nozzle orifice, into one or more circulation zones which are present in the reaction zone, are open at both sides, extend in the direction of the entering jet of liquid and are completely covered by the reaction mixture, the reaction mixture leaving the bottom of the circulation zone and containing unconverted gases is deflected, passed upwards in the annular zone externally surrounding the circulation zone, and at the same time reaction mixture of low gas content is recycled from a separa

Abstract: An apparatus for thoroughly mixing components of fluid material and, more particularly, for combining and homogenizing streams of gaseous, liquid and/or granular material by passage through a tube-like conduit which contains a plurality of consecutive mixing elements comprising a set of stationary, angularly disposed flow-deflecting baffles of particular form and configuration which cause a repeated dividing, displacement and recombining of the fluid stream and thereby provide improved radial mixing and approximation of ideal plug flow.

Abstract: Process for the manufacture of butynediol-1,4 from acetylene and formaldehyde in aqueous solution in contact with a copper acetylide catalyst in the absence of a gas phase.

Abstract: A process for drawing in and compressing gases and mixing the same with liquid material, wherein the gases are first premixed with one or more liquid jets at a velocity of from 10 to 70 m/sec, the smallest cross-sectional area of the mixing nozzle being at a distance from the propulsive jet which is equal to from 1 to 10 times the smallest hydraulic diameter of the mixing nozzle, which smallest cross-sectional area of the mixing nozzle is equal to from 1.5 to 15 times the smallest cross-sectional area of the propulsive jet. The two-phase liquid mixture is passed through the mixing nozzle to the narrowest point of an impulse exchange tube disposed in the liquid medium, which impulse exchange tube is open at its inlet and outlet and is preferably provided with a diffuser. The smallest cross-sectional area of the impulse exchange tube is equal to from 1.