Abstract: Provided is a process for preparing a heterocycle by catalytic reaction of an aromatic dinitrile with an amino alcohol, wherein the process includes: initially charging into a reaction vessel the amino alcohol and a catalyst to produce a reaction mixture; adding the aromatic dinitrile into the reaction mixture, which is maintained at a reaction temperature, wherein no solvent other than the amino alcohol of formula (III) is added to the reaction mixture prior to and/or during the catalytic reaction; and after completion of the catalytic reaction, completely replacing, or substantially completely replacing, unreacted amino alcohol with a nonpolar solvent to obtain the heterocycle, wherein the unreacted amino alcohol is present in an amount of not more than 20 wt. %, preferably 3-10 wt. % or less, based on a total weight of the heterocycle.

Abstract: Provided is a process for preparing a heterocycle by catalytic reaction of an aromatic dinitrile with an amino alcohol, wherein the process includes: initially charging into a reaction vessel the amino alcohol and a catalyst to produce a reaction mixture; adding the aromatic dinitrile into the reaction mixture, which is maintained at a reaction temperature, wherein no solvent other than the amino alcohol of formula (III) is added to the reaction mixture prior to and/or during the catalytic reaction; and after completion of the catalytic reaction, completely replacing, or substantially completely replacing, unreacted amino alcohol with a nonpolar solvent to obtain the heterocycle, wherein the unreacted amino alcohol is present in an amount of not more than 20 wt. %, preferably 3-10 wt. % or less, based on a total weight of the heterocycle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing alkyl chlorides by reacting alcohols with gaseous hydrogen chloride in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one compound of the structure: wherein R1 is a linear alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, R2, R3, and R4 is selected from a hydrogen, an alkyl, an alkenyl, an aralkyl or an alkylaryl group from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents of R2, R3, and R4 are all identical, are all different or two of the substituents of R2, R3, and R4 type are identical.

Abstract: A continuous process for decarboxylating carboxylic acids proceeds by I.) initially charging a carbonyl compound as a catalyst in a solvent at reaction temperature, to obtain a catalyst solution; II.) metering a carboxylic acid into the catalyst solution as an aqueous solution, aqueous suspension or as a water-comprising solid, to obtain a reaction mixture; and III.) continuously removing a mixture of CO2, solvent, water and a reaction product or mixture of reaction products from the reaction mixture as a vapor.

Abstract: A continuous process for decarboxylating carboxylic acids proceeds by I.) initially charging a carbonyl compound as a catalyst in a solvent at reaction temperature, to obtain a catalyst solution; II.) metering a carboxylic acid into the catalyst solution as an aqueous solution, aqueous suspension or as a water-comprising solid, to obtain a reaction mixture; and III.) continuously removing a mixture of CO2, solvent, water and a reaction product or mixture of reaction products from the reaction mixture as a vapor.

Abstract: A process for preparing diols or triols made up of a1) reacting at least one monoolefin having 4 to 20 carbon atoms with hydrogen peroxide and formic acid in the presence of water to form a mixture or a2) reacting at least one monoolefin alcohol having 4 to 20 carbon atoms first with formic acid, and then reacting the product formed thereby with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of water to form a mixture, b) removing, by distillation, the water and formic acid from the mixture obtained in a1) or a2), c) reacting the mixture obtained from b) with an aliphatic alcohol in the presence of a sulfonic acid to form the diol or triol and at least one formic ester by-product, and d) optionally removing, by distillation, the at least one formic ester by-product formed together with any residual at least one aliphatic C1-C4-alcohol to isolate the diol or triol.