Abstract: The present invention provides a process for changing the given mean molecular weight Mn in the continuous preparation of polytetrahydrofuran or tetrahydrofuran copolymers, the mono- or diesters of polytetrahydrofuran or of tetrahydrofuran copolymers by polymerizing tetrahydrofuran in the presence of a telogen and/or of a comonomer over an acidic catalyst, wherein a) the molar ratio of telogen to tetrahydrofuran or to tetrahydrofuran and comonomer is changed, b) then the mean molecular weight of at least one sample is determined, c) until the mean molecular weight thus determined differs from the molecular weight to be achieved by the change, the already formed polytetrahydrofuran or the tetrahydrofuran copolymers, the mono- or diesters of polytetrahydrofuran or tetrahydrofuran copolymer is at least partly depolymerized over an acidic catalyst and d) the tetrahydrofuran recovered by depolymerization is recycled at least partly into the polymerization.

Abstract: The invention relates to processes for preparing 1,6-hexanediol and very pure ?-caprolactone from a dicarboxylic acid solution (DCS), comprising the steps of (a) esterification of the DCS with alcohols, (b) partial catalytic hydrogenation of the esters, (c) distillative removal of 1,6-hexanediol and low boilers as the top product, and (d) cyclization of the 6-hydroxycaproic ester present in the bottoms fraction in the presence of a higher-boiling alcohol than caprolactone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol, in which a hexanediol having a proportion by weight of nitrogen of less than 5 ppm is obtained, 1,6-hexanediol having a proportion by weight of nitrogen of less than 5 ppm and also the use of this 1,6-hexanediol for preparing polymers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for hydrogenating oligo- and/or polyesters obtainable by esterifying a DCS with a diol or diol mixture, said hydrogenation being performed in the presence of a catalyst whose catalyst precursor comprises copper oxide, aluminum oxide and at least one oxide of lanthanum, of iron, of tungsten, of molybdenum, of titanium or of zirconium, and to a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol by catalytically hydrogenating ester mixtures which comprise, as main components, oligo- and polyesters of adipic acid and 6-hydroxycaproic acid, and are obtained by esterifying DCS with diols, especially 1,6-hexanediol or diol mixtures.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol, preferably with at least 99.5% purity, which are especially virtually free of 1,4-cyclohexanediols, from a carboxylic acid mixture which is obtained as a by-product of the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol with oxygen or oxygen-comprising gases and by water extraction of the reaction mixture, by hydrogenating the carboxylic acid mixture, esterifying and hydrogenating a substream to hexanediol.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol and caprolactone, preferably with at least 99.5% purity, which are especially virtually free of 1,4-cyclohexanediols, from a carboxylic acid mixture which is obtained as a by-product of the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol with oxygen or oxygen-comprising gases and by water extraction of the reaction mixture, by hydrogenating the carboxylic acid mixture, esterifying and hydrogenating a substream to hexanediol and cyclizing 6-hydroxycaproic ester, the 1,4-cyclohexanediols being removed either in the course of fractionation of the esterification mixture or last from the caprolactone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a hydrogenation of a starting material in a hydrogenation reactor, in which the amount of hydrogen reacted in the hydrogenation is firstly determined, the ratio of the amount of hydrogen reacted to the amount of starting material fed in is then derived, this ratio is compared with a prescribed value and, finally, at least one process parameter is altered if the ratio of the amount of hydrogen reacted to the amount of starting material fed in deviates by a prescribed amount from the prescribed value.

Abstract: A process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol from a carboxylic acid mixture which comprises adipic acid, 6-hydroxycaproic acid and small amounts of 1,4-cyclohexanediols and is obtained as a by-product of the oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol with oxygen or oxygen-comprising gases by water extraction of the reaction mixture, by esterification and hydrogenation to hexanediol, which comprises a) the mono- and dicarboxylic acids present in the aqueous reaction mixture are reacted with a low molecular weight alcohol to give the corresponding carboxylic esters, b) the resulting esterification mixture is freed of excess alcohol and low boilers in a first distillation stage, c) in a second distillation stage, a separation is performed of the bottom product into an ester fraction essentially free of 1,4-cyclohexanediols and a fraction comprising at least the majority of the 1,4-cyclohexanediols, d) the ester fraction from (c) is catalytically hydrogenated and 1,6-hexanediol is obtained in a manner know

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an isocyanate, comprising hydrogenating a mixture (Gi) comprising an amine in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising copper to obtain a mixture (Gii) comprising the amine, and reacting the mixture (Gii) with phosgene to obtain a mixture (Giii) comprising the isocyanate. The present invention further relates to the isocyanate preparable by this process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mixture comprising itaconic acid or an itaconic acid derivative and a primary amine of the formula (I) R—NH2??(I) where the molar ratio of primary amine to itaconic acid or the itaconic acid derivative is in the range from 0.5:1 to 20:1, wherein the mixture comprises 50 mole percent or less of 4-carboxypyrrolidones of the formula (II), derivatives of the 4-carboxypyrrolidones of the formula (II) and 4-carbamidopyrrolidones of the formula (III) based on the itaconic acid used or the itaconic acid derivative used and in which R is a linear or branched saturated aliphatic radical having 1 to 24 carbon atoms or a saturated cycloaliphatic radical having 3 to 24 carbon atoms. The invention further provides for the use of the inventive mixtures for preparing 1,3-alkylmethylpyrrolidones and/or 1,4-alkylmethylpyrrolidones, and also a process for preparing 1,3-alkylmethylpyrrolidones and/or 1,4-alkylmethylpyrrolidones.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing polytetrahydrofuran or tetrahydrofuran copolymers by polymerization of tetrahydrofuran in the presence of a telogen and/or a comonomer over a fixed bed of an acid catalyst, in which the temperature of the polymerization mixture increases in the direction of flow through the catalyst bed.

Abstract: The process relates to a process for preparing delta-valerolactone (VLO) in the gas phase by catalytic dehydrogenation over at least two different catalysts.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for separating a liquid substance mixture by distillation, a method for producing a tetrahydrofuran homopolymer and copolymer in which the oligomers in a liquid starting mixture containing oligomers are separated by distillation in such an apparatus, tetrahydrofuran homopolymers and copolymers which can be obtained using said method and have a narrow distribution of the relative molar mass, and the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a compound II or a composition comprising the compound II to a composition comprising succinimide and to a composition prepared by the process according to the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing plastics using 1,6-hexanediol having an aldehyde content of less than 500 ppm, a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol having an aldehyde content of less than 500 ppm and also 1,6-hexanediol having an aldehyde content of less than 500 ppm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol, in which a hexanediol having a proportion by weight of nitrogen of less than 5 ppm is obtained, 1,6-hexanediol having a proportion by weight of nitrogen of less than 5 ppm and also the use of this 1,6-hexanediol for preparing polymers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing diols by hydrogenating a mixture comprising carboxylic acid, carboxylic anhydrides and/or carboxylic esters/lactones by means of a cobalt-comprising catalyst, wherein alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal ions are added to the hydrogenation feed, excluding alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal ions of mineral acids.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst comprising a mixture of at least one acid-activated sheet silicate with a transition metal oxide of groups 8 and/or 9 of the Periodic Table of the Elements and also a process for preparing polytetrahydrofuran, polytetrahydrofuran copolymers, diesters or monoesters of these polymers, in which tetrahydrofuran is polymerized in the presence of at least one telogen and/or comonomer over such a catalyst.

Abstract: The present application relates to an improved process for preparing 6-hydroxycaproic esters from the by-product mixtures which are obtained in the oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone with oxygen or oxygen-comprising gas mixtures.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing lactones from optionally substituted, saturated aliphatic diols having from five to 20 carbon atoms between the two ring-closing hydroxyl groups by catalytic dehydrogenation and cyclization in the liquid phase over at least one catalyst.