Abstract: Process for the purification of an aqueous stream coming from the Fischer-Tropsch reaction which comprises: —feeding said aqueous stream containing the organic by-products of the reaction to a distillation column, obtaining two output streams: —an aqueous stream (i) exiting from the column head, enriched with alcohols having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably from 1 to 9 carbon atoms, and other optional volatile compounds; an aqueous stream (ii) exiting from the column bottom, enriched with organic acids having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; —subjecting said aqueous stream (ii) to an anaerobic biological treatment obtaining a purified aqueous stream (iii); wherein said anaerobic biological treatment is carried out with a hydraulic retention time lower than 15 hours, preferably ranging from 4 hours to 10 hours, more preferably ranging from 5 hours to 8 hours.

Abstract: Nanoparticles with a patterned ligand coat can bind ions selectively. The ligand patterning can arise via self-assembly when two chemically dissimilar (e.g., in size and/or hydrophilicity) ligands are used together. One of the ligands can include one or more moieties capable of interacting with an ion, such as ether oxygens, hydroxyl groups, amine nitrogens, or other groups having a lone pair of electrons. Ion binding can be both selective and reversible.

Abstract: Process for the purification of an aqueous stream coming from the Fischer-Tropsch reaction which comprises: —feeding said aqueous stream containing the organic by-products of the reaction to a distillation column, obtaining two output streams: —an aqueous stream (i) exiting from the column head, enriched with alcohols having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably from 1 to 9 carbon atoms, and other optional volatile compounds; an aqueous stream (ii) exiting from the column bottom, enriched with organic acids having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; —subjecting said aqueous stream (ii) to an anaerobic biological treatment obtaining a purified aqueous stream (iii); wherein said anaerobic biological treatment is carried out with a hydraulic retention time lower than 15 hours, preferably ranging from 4 hours to 10 hours, more preferably ranging from 5 hours to 8 hours.

Abstract: A process is described for the treatment of water contaminated by metals with a high oxidation degree, aliphatic compounds, aromatic compounds, halogen-aromatic compounds, chlorinated alkane and alkene compounds or mixtures thereof, which consists in circulating the contaminated water through a reactive system consisting of metallic iron and a zeolite having a silica/alumina ratio >50, placed in succession, wherein the first element through which the water passes is iron.

Abstract: A process is described for the treatment of water contaminated by metals with a high oxidation degree, aliphatic compounds, aromatic compounds, halogen-aromatic compounds, chlorinated alkane and alkene compounds or mixtures thereof, which consists in circulating the contaminated water through a reactive system consisting of metallic iron and a zeolite having a silica/alumina ratio>50, placed in succession, wherein the first element through which the water passes is iron.

Abstract: Integrated process for the preparation of aromatic isocyanates comprising: the reaction between an aromatic amine and an organiccarbonate in the presence of a catalyst selected from organic and inorganic salts of a metal selected from Zn, Sn, Pb, Cu; the removal of the catalyst; the passivation of the quantity of residual metal in the urethane formed in step a); the removal of the organic solvent and its optional recycling to step a) of the reaction; the evaporation of the aromatic urethane with partial pyrolysis; the complete pyrolysis of the urethane in gas phase; the recovery of the isocyanate.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of aromatic urethanes consisting in reacting organic carbonates with aromatic amines in reactors operating in continuous, feeding a total quantity of aromatic amines in a percentage, with respect to the weight of the total mixture, ranging from 4 to 30, and maintening a low concentration of amine in the reactor.

Abstract: Integrated process for the preparation of aromatic isocyanates comprising: the reaction between an aromatic amine and an organiccarbonate in the presence of a catalyst selected from organic and inorganic salts of a metal selected from Zn, Sn, Pb, Cu; the removal of the catalyst; the passivation of the quantity of residual metal in the urethane formed in step a); the removal of the organic solvent and its optional recycling to step a) of the reaction; the evaporation of the aromatic urethane with partial pyrolysis; the complete pyrolysis of the urethane in gas phase; the recovery of the isocyanate.

Abstract: A process for synthesizing aromatic urethanes, which entails:a) reacting an organic carbonate, in an amount which is equal to or greater than a stoichiometric amount, with an aromatic amine at a temperature of 00 to 190.degree. C.; andb) recovering the aromatic urethane from the reaction mixture, wherein step a) is carried out by maintaining reaction alcohol in an amount of from 10 to 40 mol % based on a total quantity of alcohol coproduced during the reaction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing large amounts of 7.beta.-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid acylase ("GA") enzyme, which process consists in growing, under suitable culture conditions, a recombinant Escherichia coli K12 strain and subsequently extracting the enzyme from the resulting culture.Enzyme production is controlled by a particular expression system which can be induced by corn-steep liquor, an extremely low cost component of the culture medium.The enzyme can be used in the enzymatic preparation of 7-amino-cephalosporanic acid by starting from 7.beta.-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of aromatic carbamates in which an organic carbonate in a stoichiometric quantity or in a quantity higher than the stoichiometric value is reacted with an aromatic amine operating in the presence of a carbamation catalyst, wherein this catalyst is selected from N,N-substituted carbamate complexes of zinc or copper.The process gives high yields and selectivity in the useful reaction product.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of aromatic urethanes in which organic carbonate in a stoichiometric quantity or in a quantity higher than the stoichiometric value is reacted with an aromatic amine operating in the presence of a carbamation catalyst, wherein this catalyst is selected from zinc and/or copper carbonate hydroxide.The process gives high yields and selectivity in the useful reaction product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing large amounts of 7.beta.-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid acylase ("GA") enzyme, which process consists in growing, under suitable culture conditions, a recombinant Escherichia coli K12 strain and subsequently extracting the enzyme from the resulting culture.Enzyme production is controlled by a particular expression system which can be induced by corn-steep liquor, an extremely low cost component of the culture medium.The enzyme can be used in the enzymatic preparation of 7-amino-cephalosporanic acid by starting from 7.beta.-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid.

Abstract: A process is described for separating the optical isomers of 1,2-isopropylideneglycerol, of formula (I), comprising partially stereoselective enzymatic hydrolysis of 1,2-isopropylideneglycerol benzoyl ester (II) catalyzed by a free or immobilized lipase, the hydrolysis being conducted in the presence of a cosolvent and followed by crystallization enabling crystals of (II) in raceme form and mother liquor containing (II) in the form of the pure enantiomer to be selectively obtained.The compound (I) is widely used industrially as an intermediate in the synthesis of chiral drugs such as (R)-(-)-carnitine, (S)-beta-blockers, (S)-antiviral agents, analgesic drugs etc.

Abstract: 7-amino-cephalosporanic acids having the formula ##STR1## are obtained by submitting compounds having the following formula to enzymatic conversion: ##STR2## wherein R represents H, OH, O--CO--R", R" being an alkyl radical with from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 represents a carboxylic group. The reaction is carried out in the presence of a microorganism selected from the Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Achromobacter genera, or in the presence of an enzyme, either free or immobilized, derived therefrom.

Abstract: A process is described for the separation of the optical isomers of alphayl- or alpha-aryloxy- carboxylic acids by means of the stereoselective hydrolysis of racemic alkyl esters of the above acids in the presence of bacteria or their enzymes, selected from the species Brevibacterium, Bacteridium, Micrococcus, and Bacillus.

Abstract: The enzymatic preparation of cephalosporanic derivatives, or their salts, ving the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is --CO--COOH or --COOH, R.sub.1 is H, OH, or --O--CO--R" and R" is an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, is carried out by the oxidative deamination of compounds, or their salts, having the formula: ##STR2## with an oxidase D-Aminoacid enzyme derived from Rhodotorula glutinis NCIMB 40412. The enzyme can be in a free or immobilized form.

Abstract: A biotechnological process for preparing L(-)-carnitine chloride, having the formula ##STR1## comprising: (a) reacting a racemic ester of (R,S)-3,4-epoxybutyric acid having the formula ##STR2## wherein R is an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbons or a benzyl group, with an enzyme capable of selectively hydrolyzing enantiomer S(-);(b) separating the enantiomer S(-) from non-reacted ester which is present in predominantly the R(+) form;(c) reacting the non-reacted ester obtained in step (b) with an enzyme capable of quantitatively hydrolyzing the R(+) form to obtain thereby a salt of 3,4-epoxybutyric acid in the R(+) form having the formula ##STR3## wherein X is Na, K, or Li; (d) reacting the salt obtained in step (c) with a molar excess of trimethylamine; and(e) treating the reaction product of step (d) with HCl to remove excess trimethylamine and to obtain thereby the L(-)-carnitine chloride of formula (I).

Abstract: The optical isomers of racemic 1,2-diols are separated by enzymatic way, by eans of a process involving the following operations:reaction of the racemic mixture of the 1,2 diols with an organic anhydride in the presence of enzyme belonging to the class of lipases;separation of the enzyme;removal of the excess of anhydride;separation of the produced esters, in optically pure form by column chromatography;recovery of the 1,2 diols, as optically pure enantiomers.

Abstract: Continuous biotechnological preparation of optical isomer S(+) of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl) propionic acid consisting in the reaction of a racemic (R,S) ester of 2-(6-methoxy-2-naphthyl) propionic acid having melting point below 50.degree. C. of formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 =a C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.4 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, tetrahydropyranyl , tetrahydrofuranyl radicals and--(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n --R.sub.2 group, whereinn=2-15 andR.sub.2 =a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, with the Lipase obtained from Candida Cylindracea, at temperatures ranging from 20.degree.-60.degree. C. and at a pH ranging from 5 to 8, by feeding said ester in a continuous way into a bioreactor containing said Lipase immobilized on a porous carrier selected from adsorbent resins of the polyacrylester type having a porosity ranging from 50 to 1000 .ANG. and a granulometry ranging from 1 to 0.01 mm.