Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Manfred Sauerwald

Toni Dockner

Rolf Hartmuth Fischer

Franz Merger

Detlef Kratz

Michael Hesse

Wolfgang Hoelderich

Marc Walter

Matthias Irgang

Claus-Ulrich Priester

Gerhard Schulz

Norbert Goetz

Wolfgang Rohr

Boris Breitscheidel

Tom Witzel

Gernot Reissenweber

Wolfgang Spiegler

Uwe Vagt

Wolfgang Franzischka

Martin Schmidt-Radde

Juergen Frank

Martin Decker

Herbert Krug

Hans-Martin Hutmacher

Arnold Wittwer

Eckehard Danz

Jost H Manegold

Cristina Freire Erdbr&uuml;gger

Hans Leitner

Martin Bruderm&uuml;ller

Rudolf Irnich, Deceased

A process for the catalytic hydrogenation of a carbonyl compound or of a mixture of two or more carbonyl compounds in the presence of a catalyst which comprises an inorganic support containing TiO , and as active component copper or a mixture of copper and at least one of the metals selected from the group of zinc, aluminum, cerium, a noble metal and a group VIII metal, wherein the copper surface area does not exceed 10 m /g.

Method for hydrogenating carbonyl compounds

A carbonyl compound or a mixture of two or more carbonyl compounds is catalytically hydrogenated in the presence of a Raney copper catalyst in the form of nuggets.

Method for the hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds

Alcohols are prepared by the catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding carbonyl compounds at elevated temperatures and at superatmospheric pressure in the liquid phase by a process in which the catalyst used contains copper on an SiO,-containing carrier in the presence or absence of one or more of the elements magnesium, barium, zinc and chromium.

Preparation of alcohols

Acyl chlorides are prepared by reacting a carboxylic acid or its anhydride with carbonyl chloride in the presence of a carboxamide of the formula I ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is a radical of the formula ##STR2## R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each alkyl of 1 to 9 carbon atoms, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are each hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 9 carbon atoms and the two radicals R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may furthermore be a hydrocarbon radical which completes the moiety ##STR3## to form a heterocyclic structure, and the stated alkyl and hydrocarbon radicals may furthermore contain substituents which are inert under the reaction conditions.

Preparation of acyl chlorides

Cyclic 6-membered to 8-membered 1,2-vinylenedioxy compounds of the general formula I ##STR1## where A is ##STR2## R.sup.1 to R.sup.7 independently of one another are each hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.16 -alkoxyalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkynyl, C.sub.5 -C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl, aryl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.10 -alkylphenyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.10 -phenalkyl, C.sub.8 -C.sub.10 -phenalkenyl or a heterocyclic structure, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, R.sup.2 and R.sup.4, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, R.sup.2 and R.sup.6, R.sup.3 and R.sup.6, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 or R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 together form a cycloaliphatic or heterocyclic ring, and R.sup.1 to R.sup.7 may furthermore carry substituents which are inert under the reaction conditions, and n is 0 or 1, are prepared by a process in which a cyclic 2-oxymethyl-1,3-dioxa compound or one of its derivatives of the general formula II ##STR3## where R.sup.1 to R.sup.7, A and n have the abovementioned meanings, and R.sup.8 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl, is converted in the presence of an acidic catalyst at from 150.degree. to 450.degree. C. and under from 0.001 to 50 bar, some of the compounds obtained being novel.

Preparation of cyclic 6-membered to 8-membered vinylene-1,2-dioxy

Organic halogen compounds in which one or more halogen atoms are covalently bonded to the carbon are subjected to reductive dehalogenation by reaction with a hydrocarbon in the presence of carbon at elevated temperatures with formation of a hydrogen halide, by a process in which the dehalogenation is carried out in the presence of iron powder or an iron compound as a cocatalyst, at from 100.degree. to 450.degree. C.

Reductive dehalogenation of organic halogen compounds

3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans I ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl and R.sup.3 is not C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkyl when A is COOR.sup.5 and A is COOR.sup.5, .dbd.CHOR.sup.5, in which R.sup.5 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, or CH.sub.2 OR.sup.6, in which R.sup.6 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl or is benzyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, alkoxy or halogen, or is formyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkylcarbonyl or benzoyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, alkoxy or halogen, are prepared by eliminating an alcohol from a 2-alkoxytetrahydropyran II ##STR2## where R.sup.7 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.18 -alkyl and A' is COOR.sup.5, CH(OR.sup.5).sub.2 or CH.sub.2 OR.sup.6, in which R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 have the meanings stated for I, the elimination being carried out by passing II, in the liquid or gaseous state, into a high boiling mineral oil at above the boiling point of the resulting dihydropyran I, removing I in gaseous form, replenishisng the high boiling mineral oil when it becomes enriched with byproducts, and removing the said mineral oil enriched with byproducts.

3,4,-dihydro-2H-pyrans

3-pentenoates are prepared from 2-pentenoates by a process in which

Preparation of 3-pentenoates from 2-pentenoates

Organic sulfur compounds, such as sulfonic acids, sulfonyl halides, sulfonates, sulfonamides, sulfonic acid anhydrides, sulfones, sulfoxides and/or disulfanes, are reduced by a method in which the sulfur compound in the liquid or gas phase is reacted with a hydrocarbon in the presence of carbon at from 100.degree. to 500.degree. C.

Reduction of organic sulfur compounds

Caprolactam is prepared by heating a 6-aminocaproic ester at 100.degree.-320.degree. C. in the presence of a reaction medium comprising an aromatic hydrocarbon which is liquid under reaction conditions and has a boiling point from 80.degree. to 240.degree. C., and isolating caprolactam from the reaction medium.

Preparation of caprolactam

In an improved process for preparing caprolactam by heating 6-aminocaproic acid, an ester or amide or mixture thereof in the presence of an inert reaction medium which is liquid under the reaction conditions and has a boiling point above that of caprolactam, the improvement comprises using as the reaction medium a hydrocarbon, maintaining a temperature of from 150.degree. to 350.degree. C., charging the 6-aminocaproic acid, ester, amide or mixture thereof at a rate commensurate with their rate of conversion, and separating caprolactam from the reaction mixture at a rate commensurate with its rate of formation.

Preparation of caprolactam from 6-aminocaproic acid, esters and amides

5,6-Dihydro-2H-thiopyran-3-carboxaldehydes of the formula ##STR1## where R denotes hydrogen or methyl, are prepared by a method in which acrolein or crotonaldehyde is reacted with hydrogen sulfide in a mineral oil whose boiling point is higher than those of the starting materials and of the end product, and the 5,6-dihydro-2H-thiopyran-3-carboxaldehyde is obtained by distillation. These aldehydes are important intermediates for the preparation of some crop protection agents.

Process for the preparation of 5,6-dihydro-2H-thiopyran-3-carboxaldehyde

Adipodinitrile is prepared by reacting adipic acid with excess ammonia at from 250.degree. to 350.degree. C. in the liquid phase in the presence of a diluent by a process in which a liquid hydrocarbon which is inert under the reaction conditions is used as the diluent.

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Roedersheim-Gronau, Germany

Manfred Sauerwald