An integrated process for manufacturing polyethyleneamine compounds selected from the group of polyethyleneamines and hydroxyethylethyleneamines is provided. The process includes in an adduction step, providing a CO.sub.2 adduct of a starting compound comprising a NHCH.sub.2CH.sub.2NH moiety or a NHCH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH moiety, or HOCH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH, in a reaction step reacting a hydroxy-functional compound selected from the group of ethanolamines and dihydroxyethane with an amine-functional compound, wherein at least part of the total of hydroxy-functional compounds and amine-functional compounds is provided in the form of a CO.sub.2 adduct, to form CO.sub.2 adduct of a product polyethyleneamine compound, in an elimination step converting CO.sub.2 adduct of product polyethyleneamine compound to the corresponding product polyethylene amine compound, wherein a fraction comprising a recycle compound comprising a NHCH.sub.2CH.sub.2NH moiety or a NHCH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH moiety, or HOCH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH, or CO.sub.2 adducts thereof, is provided from the end of the reaction step or the elimination step to the adduction step or to the reaction step, wherein the recycle compound has per molecule on average fewer of the total of NHCH.sub.2CH.sub.2NH moieties and NHCH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH moieties than the product polyethyleneamine compound.

Methods and devices are disclosed for selective photo-destruction of one chiral enantiomer of a compound using nanostructures by enhancing differential absorption of circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer. Methods and devices are disclosed for selective enrichment of one chiral enantiomer of a compound using nanostructures by enhancing differential absorption of circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer. The nanostructures support optical frequency electric resonances and optical frequency magnetic resonances.

Methods and devices are disclosed for selective photo-destruction of one chiral enantiomer of a compound using nanostructures by enhancing differential absorption of circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer. Methods and devices are disclosed for selective enrichment of one chiral enantiomer of a compound using nanostructures by enhancing differential absorption of circularly polarized light by the one chiral enantiomer. The nanostructures support optical frequency electric resonances and optical frequency magnetic resonances.

Preparing ethanolamines/ethyleneamines in the presence of an amination catalyst prepared by reducing a calcined catalyst precursor containing one or more metals of groups 8, 9, 10 and/or 11 and low basicity achieved by: a) coprecipitating catalyst precursor and active composition additionally contains alkali metals or alkaline earth metals; b) the catalyst precursor is prepared by impregnating a support material or precipitative application onto a support material containing alkali metals, Be, Ca, Ba, Sr, hydrotalcite, chrysotile or sepiolite; c) the catalyst precursor is prepared by impregnating a support material or precipitative application onto a support material and the active composition of the catalyst support contains one or more of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals; d) the catalyst precursor is calcined at temperatures of 600 C. or more; or e) the catalyst precursor is prepared by a combination of a) and d), b) and d), or c) and d).

Preparing ethanolamines/ethyleneamines in the presence of an amination catalyst prepared by reducing a calcined catalyst precursor containing one or more metals of groups 8, 9, 10 and/or 11 and low basicity achieved by: a) coprecipitating catalyst precursor and active composition additionally contains alkali metals or alkaline earth metals; b) the catalyst precursor is prepared by impregnating a support material or precipitative application onto a support material containing alkali metals, Be, Ca, Ba, Sr, hydrotalcite, chrysotile or sepiolite; c) the catalyst precursor is prepared by impregnating a support material or precipitative application onto a support material and the active composition of the catalyst support contains one or more of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals; d) the catalyst precursor is calcined at temperatures of 600 C. or more; or e) the catalyst precursor is prepared by a combination of a) and d), b) and d), or c) and d).

A process is provided for converting cyclic alkyleneureas into their corresponding alkyleneamines. The process includes reacting a feedstock comprising cyclic alkyleneureas in the liquid phase with water in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 20 mole water per mole urea moiety, at a temperature of at least 230 C., with removal of CO2. The process may allow the efficient conversion of alkyleneureas into the corresponding alkyleneamines. In certain embodiments, the process has a high yield and low side product production.

A process is provided for converting cyclic alkyleneureas into their corresponding alkyleneamines. The process includes reacting a feedstock comprising cyclic alkyleneureas in the liquid phase with water in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 20 mole water per mole urea moiety, at a temperature of at least 230 C., with removal of CO2. The process may allow the efficient conversion of alkyleneureas into the corresponding alkyleneamines. In certain embodiments, the process has a high yield and low side product production.

The present invention relates in part to novel cationic lipids and their use, e.g., in delivering nucleic acids to cells.

The invention relates to an absorbent solution and to a method using this solution for removing acid compounds contained in a gaseous effluent, comprising water and at least one diamine with general formula (I) as follows:

##STR00001## wherein: radicals R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 are each selected indiscriminately among a methyl radical and a hydroxyethyl radical, and at least one radical among R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 is a methyl radical.

The invention relates to an absorbent solution and to a method using this solution for removing acid compounds contained in a gaseous effluent, comprising water and at least one diamine with general formula (I) as follows:

##STR00001## wherein: radicals R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 are each selected indiscriminately among a methyl radical and a hydroxyethyl radical, and at least one radical among R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 is a methyl radical.