A carbon-coated transition metal nanocomposite material includes carbon-coated transition metal particles having a core-shell structure. The shell layer of the core-shell structure is a graphitized carbon layer doped with oxygen and/or nitrogen, and the core of the core-shell structure is a transition metal nanoparticle. The nanocomposite material has a structure rich in mesopores, is an adsorption/catalyst material with excellent performance, can be used for catalyzing various hydrogenation reduction reactions, or used as a catalytic-oxidation catalyst useful for the treatment of volatile organic compounds in industrial exhaust gases.

Disclosed is a composite catalyst, comprising carbon in a continuous phase and Raney alloy particles in a dispersed phase. The Raney alloy particles are dispersed evenly or unevenly in the carbon in a continuous phase, and the carbon in a continuous phase is obtained by carbonizing at least one carbonizable organic substance. The catalyst has good particle strength, high catalytic activity, and good selectivity.

Disclosed is a composite catalyst, comprising carbon in a continuous phase and Raney alloy particles in a dispersed phase. The Raney alloy particles are dispersed evenly or unevenly in the carbon in a continuous phase, and the carbon in a continuous phase is obtained by carbonizing at least one carbonizable organic substance. The catalyst has good particle strength, high catalytic activity, and good selectivity.

The invention provides a recombinant microbial host cell capable of converting a raw material comprising a fermentable carbon substrate to o-aminobenzoate biologically. The invention further provides a method for producing aniline, comprising the steps of: a) producing o-aminobenzoate by fermentation of a raw material comprising at least one fermentable carbon substrate using the recombinant microbial host cell of the capable of converting said raw material comprising at least one fermentable carbon substrate to o-aminobenzoate biologically, wherein said o-aminobenzoate comprises anthranilate anion, b) converting said o-aminobenzoate from said anthranilate anion to anthranilic acid by acid protonation, c) recovering said anthranilic acid by precipitation or by dissolving in an organic solvent, and d) converting said anthranilic acid to aniline by thermal decarboxylation in an organic solvent.

The invention provides a recombinant microbial host cell capable of converting a raw material comprising a fermentable carbon substrate to o-aminobenzoate biologically. The invention further provides a method for producing aniline, comprising the steps of: a) producing o-aminobenzoate by fermentation of a raw material comprising at least one fermentable carbon substrate using the recombinant microbial host cell of the capable of converting said raw material comprising at least one fermentable carbon substrate to o-aminobenzoate biologically, wherein said o-aminobenzoate comprises anthranilate anion, b) converting said o-aminobenzoate from said anthranilate anion to anthranilic acid by acid protonation, c) recovering said anthranilic acid by precipitation or by dissolving in an organic solvent, and d) converting said anthranilic acid to aniline by thermal decarboxylation in an organic solvent.

The invention relates to a method for producing aniline or products that are obtained by further chemical reaction of aniline (aniline derivatives), involving decarboxylation of aminobenzoic acid, particularly ortho-aminobenzoic acid, in which one portion of the previously formed crude aniline is recirculated in the decarboxylation step. The aminobenzoic acid is obtained enzymatically or chemically, preferably enzymatically.

The invention relates to a method for producing aniline or products that are obtained by further chemical reaction of aniline (aniline derivatives), involving decarboxylation of aminobenzoic acid, particularly ortho-aminobenzoic acid, in which one portion of the previously formed crude aniline is recirculated in the decarboxylation step. The aminobenzoic acid is obtained enzymatically or chemically, preferably enzymatically.

Disclosed is a composite catalyst, comprising carbon in a continuous phase and Raney alloy particles in a dispersed phase. The Raney alloy particles are dispersed evenly or unevenly in the carbon in a continuous phase, and the carbon in a continuous phase is obtained by carbonizing at least one carbonizable organic substance. The catalyst has good particle strength, high catalytic activity, and good selectivity.

Disclosed is a composite catalyst, comprising carbon in a continuous phase and Raney alloy particles in a dispersed phase. The Raney alloy particles are dispersed evenly or unevenly in the carbon in a continuous phase, and the carbon in a continuous phase is obtained by carbonizing at least one carbonizable organic substance. The catalyst has good particle strength, high catalytic activity, and good selectivity.

The present invention concerns a process for the preparation of pure aniline, comprising the steps of a) providing a crude aniline fraction containing up to 20.000% by weight of phenol; b) dividing the crude aniline fraction from step a) into a first partial stream and a second partial stream; c) distilling the first partial stream from step b) in a first distillation column and distilling the second partial stream from step b) in a second distillation column, wherein the first distillation column is operated at a higher head pressure than the second distillation column, with the proviso that each of the first distillation column and the second distillation column is operated at a head pressure in the range from 1.0 mbar.sub.(abs.) to 500 mbar.sub.(abs.), and wherein from each of the first distillation column and the second distillation column, (i) a gaseous aniline distillate (=purified aniline) is removed as the overhead product and subsequently condensed, wherein a first partial stream of the condensed aniline distillate is returned to the first and/or the second distillation column as a reflux stream and a second partial stream of the condensed aniline distillate is removed as the product stream, and (ii) a liquid bottom stream which is concentrated in phenol is removed, from which a first portion is partially or completely vaporised and is returned to the respective distillation column, and from which a second portion is discharged; d) using the heat released during the condensation of the aniline distillate from the first distillation column in order to provide the heat necessary for vaporising the first portion of the bottom stream from the second distillation column.