Abstract: Carboxylates which contain aldehydes, acetals and/or unsaturated compounds and are obtained by reacting an olefinically unsaturated compound with carbon monoxide and an alkanol are purified by a process wherein the said carboxylates are treated with hydrogen at elevated temperatures in the presence of an acidic ion exchanger or zeolite doped with one or more metals of group VIII of the periodic table, and the resulting low and/or high boilers are separated off by distillation.

Abstract: Ethanol is produced continuously via the carbonylation of methanol, by(a) carbonylating methanol, in a reactor R, in the presence of a carbonyl complex of a metal of group VIII of the periodic table and of a halogen compound,(b) separating, in a distillation column D1, the reactor discharge, into a top fraction comprising methyl acetate, methanol, dimethyl ether and an organohalogen compound, and into a bottom fraction comprising water, small quantities of acetic acid and the catalyst, if the latter is not in a fixed bed, the residence time being so adjusted that the greater part of the acetic acid reacts with the methanol present to give methyl acetate,(c) separating the top fraction from D1, in a distillation column D2, into a top fraction comprising small quantities of methyl acetate, methanol, dimethyl ether and the organo-halogen compound, and a bottom fraction comprising methyl acetate and methanol, and recycling the top fraction to reactor R,(d) distilling off, via the top of distillation column D3, th

Abstract: Arylacetic acids and their esters, of the formula Ar(CH.sub.2 -COOR).sub.n (where Ar=aryl, R is H or a hydrocarbon radical, and n is 1 or 2) are manufactured by carbonylation of halomethylaryl compounds Ar(CH.sub.2 C).sub.n (where X is Cl, Br or I) with carbon monoxide and a catalyst m.sup.+ ?Fe(O).sub.3 NO!.sup.- (where M is an alkali metal, ammonium or one equivalent of an alkaline earth metal) in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of an inorganic base or of an alcoholate of an alcohol ROH.

Abstract: A process for hydroformylating olefinically unsaturated compounds by means of rhodium/triphenylphosphine/carbonyl complexes formed in situ from rhodium acetate, triphenylphosphine and carbon monoxide, wherein the hydroformylation reaction is preceded by a starting phase in which the mixture of the hydroformylation medium, the triphenylphosphine and rhodium acetate is heated at from 90.degree. to 120.degree. C. under a CO/H.sub.2 pressure of from 5 to 20 bar and the acetic acid liberated is discharged from the reactor in gaseous form in a stream of CO and H.sub.2, until virtually no more acetic acid can be detected in this gaseous discharge.

Abstract: An improved process for the preparation of alkyl formylvalerates, wherein butadiene or a butadiene-containing hydrocarbon mixture is reacted, in a first stage, with carbon monoxide and alkanols in the presence of cobalt carbonyl complexes and, per mole of butadiene, from 0.5 to 2 moles of tertiary nitrogen bases having a pK.sub.a of from 3 to 11, at from 80.degree. to 150.degree. C. and from 300 to 2,000 bar, and, in a second stage, the resulting alkyl pentenoate is reacted with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of cobalt carbonyl complexes at from 100.degree. to 160.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for purifying carboxylic acid esters which have been obtained by reacting olefinically unsaturated compounds with carbon monoxide and alkanols and which contain aldehydes or acetals, wherein the said esters are treated with a strongly acidic agent, with or without addition of water.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl pent-3-enoates, wherein butadiene, or a hydrocarbon mixture containing butadiene, either of which contains not more than 0.1% by weight of butynes, is reacted with carbon monoxide and an alkanol of 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl catalyst and a tertiary nitrogen base, having a pK.sub.A of 3-11, at from 100.degree. to 140.degree. C. under a pressure of from 300 to 1,000 bar.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of butanedicarboxylic acid esters, wherein(a) an aqueous cobalt salt solution is treated with excess carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of active charcoal laden with cobalt carbonyl,(b) the resulting aqueous solution of cobalt carbonyl hydride is extracted with butadiene or a butadiene containing hydrocarbon mixture and the aqueous phase is separated off,(c) the butadiene, or butadiene/hydrocarbon mixture, containing cobalt carbonyl hydride, cobalt carbonyl and butenyl-cobalt tricarbonyl, is reacted with carbon monoxide and excess C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkanol in the presence of a tertiary nitrogen base,(d) the resulting reaction mixture is freed from the tertiary nitrogen base contained therein, down to a content of from 0.1 to 0.3 mole per mole of pentenoic acid ester, and from excess hydrocarbons, and the pentenoic acid ester remaining in the reaction mixture is reacted with carbon monoxide and excess C.sub.1 -C.sub.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of salts of alkanedicarboxylic acids of 4 to 12 carbon atoms and alkanediamines of 3 to 14 carbon atoms, comprising reacting esters of alkanols of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and alkanedicarboxylic acids of 4 to 12 carbon atoms with alkanediamines of 3 to 14 carbon atoms in stoichiometric amounts in the presence of water at an elevated temperature, with continuous removal of the alkanols formed, in which process the reaction is carried out, from the start, in the presence of the particular salt of alkanedicarboxylic acid and alkanediamine which is to be manufactured.

Abstract: Aldehydes are prepared by hydroformylating the corresponding olefinically unsaturated compounds with the aid of rhodium-carbonyl complexes which contain tertiary phosphines as ligands, by carrying out the reaction in the presence of compounds of copper, silver or zinc which are soluble in the reaction mixture and do not contain any component which deactivates the rhodium-carbonyl complexes.

Abstract: In a process for the preparation of butanedicarboxylic acid esters by(a) reacting butadiene or hydrocarbon mixtures containing butadiene with carbon monoxide and a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkanol in the presence of a tertiary nitrogen base and a cobalt carbonyl catalyst at from 80.degree. to 150.degree. C. under superatmospheric pressure,(b) removing the greater part of the tertiary nitrogen base together with any excess hydrocarbon and(c) reacting the resulting pentenoic acid ester, in the presence of the catalyst remaining in the reaction mixture, and in the presence of the remaining amount of tertiary nitrogen base, with carbon monoxide and a C.sub.1 - to C.sub.4 -alkanol at from 140.degree. to 200.degree. C. under superatmospheric pressure, to give the butanedicarboxylic acid ester, the improvement wherein the reaction mixture in stage c) is substantially free from dissolved butadiene or butadiene bonded to the catalyst.Butanedicarboxylic acid esters may be used for the preparation of polymers.

Abstract: Multistep process for the preparation of butanedicarboxylic acid by the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide under pressure in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl catalyst, the improvement of heating at a temperature of 250.degree. to 350.degree. C. under superatmospheric pressure the resulting aqueous solution of cobalt carbonyl hydride that has been extracted with butadiene or with mixtures thereof before using in a subsequent step of the multistep process.

Abstract: In a process for the preparation of dimethyl butanedicarboxylates, wherein(a) butadiene or a hydrocarbon mixture containing butadiene is reacted with carbon monoxide and methanol in the presence of a tertiary nitrogen base and a cobalt carbonyl catalyst at from 80.degree. to 150.degree. C. under superatmospheric pressure,(b) the greater part of the tertiary nitrogen base and any excess hydrocarbons are removed and(c) the methyl pentenoate thus obtained is reacted with carbon monoxide and methanol, in the presence of a cobalt carbonyl catalyst and the residual amount of tertiary nitrogen base, at from 140.degree. to 200.degree. C. under superatmospheric pressure, to give the dimethyl butanedicarboxylate, the improvement that the reaction mixture obtained in stage (a) after reaction of the butadiene is cooled until it separates into two phases, and a part-stream of from 20 to 80% by volume of the lower phase is recycled to stage (a).

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of butanedicarboxylic acid esters, wherein(a) an aqueous cobalt salt solution is treated, at from 50.degree. to 200.degree. C. and under a pressure of from 50 to 500 bars, with excess carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of active charcoal laden with cobalt carbonyl,(b) the resulting aqueous solution of cobalt carbonyl hydride is extracted with butadiene or with a hydrocarbon mixture containing butadiene and the aqueous phase is separated off,(c) the butadiene, or butadiene-hydrocarbon mixture, containing cobalt carbonyl hydride, cobalt carbonyl and butenyl-cobalt tricarbonyl is reacted with carbon monoxide and an excess of an alkanol of 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the presence of from 0.5 to 2 moles, per mole of butadiene, of a tertiary nitrogen base having a pK.sub.a of from 3 to 11, at from 80.degree. to 150.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of butanedicarboxylic acid esters, wherein(a) an aqueous cobalt salt solution is treated with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of active charcoal,(b) the resulting aqueous solution is extracted with butadiene or with a hydrocarbon mixture containing butadiene,(c) the butadiene, or butadiene/hydrocarbon mixture, containing cobalt carbonyl hydride, cobalt carbonyl and butenyl-cobalt tricarbonyl, is reacted with carbon monoxide and an excess of an alkanol of 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the presence of a tertiary nitrogen base,(d) the tertiary nitrogen bases contained in the resulting reaction mixture are removed from the latter to the extent of leaving from 0.1 to 0.

Abstract: The isolation and regeneration of catalysts of type I or IIclRh(CO)(PR.sub.3).sub.2 Ihrh(CO)(PR.sub.3).sub.3 II,where the R's are identical or different hydrocarbon radicals, to give the catalysts in a pure form, is effected by regenerating aqueous rhodium salt solutions, as obtained on treating distillation residues of hydroformylation mixtures with oxygen-containing mineral acids and peroxides, by a method wherein the said aqueous rhodium salt solutions are treated with a cation exchanger, the latter is then separated from the solution, the absorbed rhodium ions are desorbed with hydrochloric acid, the hexachlororhodate solutions, containing hydrochloric acid, are reacted, in the presence of a water-soluble organic solvent and a tertiary phosphine PR.sub.3, with carbon monoxide, or with compounds which eliminate carbon monoxide, at from 0.degree. to 150.degree.

Abstract: An improved process for the production of aliphatic or cycloaliphatic dialdehydes or acetals of the same by reaction of an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic conjugated diene with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium catalyst which is modified with a tertiary phosphine or phosphite at a temperature of from 70.degree. to 160.degree. C and at a pressure of from 100 to 600 atmospheres, the improvement consisting in using as catalyst a rhodium complex which contains carbon monoxide, a tertiary organic phosphine or tertiary organic phosphite and a halogen atom as ligands. Aliphatic and cycloaliphatic dialdehydes or the acetals of the same are suitable for the production of the corresponding diols which may be used in the production of polymers and particularly of polyurethanes.

Abstract: Pent-4-en-1-al is manufactured by passing an acetaldehyde-acetal of the general formula ##STR1## where R is allyl or alkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, in the gas phase and at from 350.degree. to 450.degree. C, over an active-surface catalyst.

Abstract: Regeneration and separation of catalysts Me(CO)(PR.sub.3).sub.2 Hal(I) and HMe(CO)(PR.sub.3).sub.3 (II), where Me is rhodium or iridium, Hal is halogen and R denotes the same or different hydrocarbon radicals, from distillation residues of hydroformylation mixtures by treating said residues with aqueous acids and peroxides, mixing the resulting Me salt solutions with water-soluble organic solvents and with a phosphine PR.sub.3 and, in the case of the preparation of compound I, with a hydrohalic acid or an alkali metal halide, reacting the solutions at from 0.degree. to 150.degree. C. and from 1 to 250 bars in case I with carbon monoxide or compounds eliminating carbon monoxide and in case II additionally with hydrogen, and separating the resulting compound I or II.

Abstract: The manufacture of 1,4-butanediol by hydroformylation of cyclic acetals of acrolein in the presence of phosphine-modified cobalt carbonyl complexes or rhodium carbonyl complexes and hydrogenation of the 3-formylpropionaldehyde-acetals which are the principal products first formed.