Abstract: A catalyst is prepared by impregnating a &ggr;-alumina support with a magnesium salt, drying the product, and impregnating the product with a copper salt, preferably together with a lithium salt. The catalyst preferably contains 0.1 to 5% magnesium, 2 to 10% copper and 0 to 5% lithium, by weight, and is particularly effective in oxygen-based processes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cylindrical hollow moulded catalyst having an outer diameter ranging from about 4 mm to about 7 mm, an inner diameter ranging from about 2 mm to about 2.8 mm, length ranging from about 6.1 mm to about 6.9 mm, and the ratio of the outer diameter to the inner diameter ranging from about 2 to about 2.5. The molded catalyst of the present invention is effective in the oxychlorination process, has a low resistance to flow, allows for good heat exchange with the wall of an industrial reactor and, with a suitable active phase based on copper and such additives as alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, group IIIB metals and lanthanides, is a good catalyst for fixed bed oxychlorination processes.

Abstract: A method for the oxychlorination of ethylene to produce 1,2-dichloroethane comprises reacting ethylene with a chlorine source and an oxygen source in a fixed-bed oxychlorination reactor in the presence of a catalyst, and is characterized in that a single reactor is used and ethylene is present in a large molar excess with respect to chlorine. The chlorine source is suitably HCl, the catalyst is suitably a cupric chloride catalyst, and the molar excess of ethylene is preferably between 200 and 700%.

Abstract: In the oxychlorination of ethylene to produce 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC), in which ethylene, a chlorine source and an oxygen source are reacted in a fixed-bed oxychlorination reactor in the presence of a catalyst, a twin reactor system is used and the catalyst is a cupric chloride catalyst whose activity profile is arranged such that the reagent flow first comes into contact with a first layer of high activity catalyst, than a second layer of low activity catalyst and finally a third layer of high activity catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to modified polyols, and more particularly to polyols modified with polyisocyanates that can be employed, among other things, as components for formulations for polyurethanes or polyurethanes-isocyanurates.More particularly, the modified polyols of this invention consist of the reaction product of diols having an equivalent weight ranging from 30 to 150, with polyisocyanates having an equivalent weight ranging from 50 to 200, characterized in that said modified polyols exhibit a diol/isocyanate weight ratio comprised between 10 and 1, preferably between 5 and 1.6, and a OH/NCO equivalent ratio comprised between 3 and 50, preferably between 4 and 10.