Abstract: A process is described for preparing adiponitrile and methylglutaronitrile, characterized by the following process steps: (a) reacting a reactant stream comprising pentenenitriles with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of at least one catalyst and of at least one promoter to obtain a reaction stream which comprises pentenenitriles, the at least one catalyst, catalyst degradation products, the at least one promoter, adiponitrile and methylglutaronitrile, (b) distilling the reaction stream to obtain a stream 3 which is depleted in pentenenitriles and comprises the at least one catalyst, catalyst degradation products, the at least one promoter, adiponitrile and methylglutaronitrile as the bottom product and a stream 4 enriched in pentenenitriles as the top product, (c) extracting the stream 3 using an extractant present in stream 5 to obtain a stream 6 enriched with extractant as the top product which comprises the catalyst, and a stream 7 depleted in extractant as the bottom product which comprises catalyst de

Abstract: A process is described for preparing 3-pentenenitrile by hydrocyanating 1,3-butadiene with hydrogen cyanide over at least one catalyst, wherein the 1,3-butadiene and/or hydrogen cyanide is contacted with at least one microporous solid before the reaction.

Abstract: A process is described for separating mixtures of isomeric pentenenitriles, in which at least one isomer is removed from the mixture, wherein the separation of the substance mixtures of isomeric pentenenitriles is effected distillatively under reduced pressure.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing nickel(0)-phosphorus ligand complexes containing at least one nickel(0) central atom and at least one phosphorus ligand. The process comprises reducing a nickel(II) source comprising nickel bromide, nickel iodide or mixtures thereof in the presence of at least one phosphorus ligand.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing nickel(0)-phosphorus ligand complexes starting from nickel(II)-ether adducts.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing a nickel(0)-phosphorus ligand complex containing at least one nickel(0)central atom and at least one phosphorus ligand, which comprises reducing a nickel(II) halide dried by azeotropic distillation in the presence of at least one phosphorus ligand.

Abstract: The invention relates to phosphinite phosphites I of formula 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 and mixtures thereof, wherein R1, R2, R4 independently represent an alkyl or alkylene group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, provided that at least one of the groups R1, R2, R4 is different from H; R5 to R22 independently represent H, an alkyl or alkylene group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms; R3 is H, methyl or ethyl; X is F, Cl or CF3, if n=1 or 2 and X is H, if n=0.

Abstract: A process for hydrocyanating an olefinically unsaturated nitrile in the presence of an Ni(0)-containing catalyst, which comprises carrying out the reaction in the presence of a hydrocarbon which leads under certain pressure, concentration and temperature conditions to the formation of at least two liquid phases of the overall system, of which one phase has a higher proportion of the Ni(0)-containing catalyst, based on the total weight of this phase, than the other phase or other phases.

Abstract: A system which is suitable as a catalyst for the hydrocyanation of olefinically unsaturated compounds and comprises a) Ni(0) b) a compound which complexes Ni(0) as a ligand and contains trivalent phosphorus, c) a Lewis acid and d) a compound of the formula M Rn where M: Al or Ti R: identical or different monovalent alkoxy radicals, in which case a plurality of alkoxy radicals may be bonded together, and additionally, in the case that M=Al, R may be identical or different monovalent alkyl radicals, in which case a plurality of alkyl radicals may be bonded together or one or more alkyl radicals may be bonded to one or more of the abovementioned alkoxy radicals, n: valency of M, and processes for hydrocyanating an olefinically unsaturated compound in the presence of such a system.

Abstract: The invention is a process for preparing tetraalkyl-substituted biphenol which comprises reacting a 2,4- or 2,6-dialkyl substituted phenol in which the alkyl groups contain 1 to 6 carbon atoms with a peroxidase enzyme in the presence of a peroxide in an aqueous medium to yield a tetraalkyl-substituted biphenol by oxidative coupling of the 2,4- or 2,6-dialkyl substituted phenol, or yielding a tetra-alkyl substituted quinone, and reducing the quinone to obtain a tetraalkyl-substituted biphenol. The invention further includes a process for preparing a tetraaryl-substituted biphenol in which the aryl groups contain 6 to 10 carbon atoms which comprises racting a 2,4 or 2,6 diarylphenol with a peroxidase enzyme to yield a tetraaryl-substituted biphenol. A process for reducing a tetraalkyl-substituted quinone to corresponding tetraalkyl-substituted biphenol which comprises reducing the quinone with a phenol in an aqueous medium at a temperature of about 60° to 120° C. is also included.

Abstract: A process for dewatering hydrocyanic acid by distillation, which comprises distilling crude hydrocyanic acid containing from 50 to 99.9% by weight of HCN, from 0.1 to 40% by weight of water, from 0 to 15% by weight of carbon oxides and optionally from 0.01 to 1% by weight of an involatile stablilizer, at a pressure of from 1 bar to 2.5 bar, a bottom temperature of from 100° C. to 130° C. and a top temperature of from 25° C. to 54° C., in the absence of a volatile stabilizer, in a distillation column to obtain a top draw stream containing purified, anhydrous hydrocyanic acid and carbon oxides and a bottom draw stream comprising water and, where appropriate, the involatile stabilizer.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of a Lewis acid from a reaction mixture (I) which has been obtained in the hydrocyanation of an olefinically unsaturated compound to a nitrile which has a miscibility gap with water under certain pressure and temperature conditions, in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Lewis acid and a complex compound.

Abstract: The invention relates to phosphinites I of formulae (1) or (2), in which R1, R2, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl or alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; R3 is H or methyl; R4 is i-propyl or t-butyl; X is F, Cl or CF3 and n is 1 or 2

Abstract: Phosphonites I of the formula 1 or 2 where R1, R2 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, an alkyl or alkylene group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, with the proviso that R1 and R2 are not simultaneously H, R3 is H or methyl, R4 is t-butyl, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 are each, independently of one another, H or an alkyl or alkylene group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of a Lewis acid from a reaction mixture (I) which has been obtained in the hydrocyanation of an olefinically unsaturated compound to a nitrile which has a miscibility gap with water under certain pressure and temperature conditions, in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a Lewis acid and a complex compound.

Abstract: A process for the removal of water from a mixture comprising water and zinc chloride, which comprises adding to said mixture comprising water and zinc chloride an aprotic, polar diluent whose boiling point in the case where an azeotrope is not formed between said diluent and water under the pressure conditions of the distillation mentioned below is higher than the boiling point of water and which is in liquid form at this boiling point of water or which forms an azeotrope or heteroazeotrope with water under the pressure and temperature conditions of the distillation mentioned below, and distilling the mixture comprising water, zinc chloride and the diluent with removal of water or said azeotrope or said heteroazeotrope from this mixture, giving an anhydrous mixture comprising zinc chloride and said diluent.

Abstract: The invention relates to phosphinites I of formulae (1) or (2), in which R1, R2, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl or alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; R3 is H or methyl; R4 is i-propyl or t-butyl; X is F, Cl or CF3 and n is 1 or 2.

Abstract: Phosphinites I of the formula 1, 2 or 3 where R1, R2, R4 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, an alkyl or alkylene group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, with the proviso that at least one of the groups R1, R2, R4 is not H, R3 is H or methyl X is F, Cl or CF3 n is 0, 1 or 2 can be used as catalysts.

Abstract: A process is provided for the distillative separation of pentene nitrile isomers which have a relative volatility alpha ranging from 1.0 to 1.3 in the pressure range from 1 to 500 kPa, wherein the distillation is carried out in the presence of a liquid diluent which forms with the pentene nitrile isomers, under the same pressure conditions, azeotropes whose relative volatility alpha is higher than that of the pentene nitrile isomers to be separated.

Abstract: Phosphonites I of the formula 1 or 2 1