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For a more resource-efficient production of amines the homogeneously catalyzed tandem hydroaminomethylation reaction is of large relevance. The kinetics of the sulfoxantphos‑rhodium-catalyzed hydroaminomethylation of 1-decene were studied exploiting a thermomorphic solvent system. Focus was a mechanistic kinetic description of the enamine hydrogenation as the final step in the tandem reaction. Based on proposing a catalytic cycle and applying the Christiansen mathematics, a mechanistic rate model was derived and parameterized. The mechanistic model was able to describe the experimental observations in a broad range of operation conditions including pressure and temperature perturbations providing the basis for process design and optimization.

In dairy industry huge quantities of whey accumulate as a by-product. In particular the containing lactose was not produced profitably in the past. Thus, the trend goes towards modification and sustainable use of lactose for which a concentration step is required. Nanofiltration (NF) has shown to be a good choice since partial demineralization can be realized in parallel. Therefore, in this study, 10 commercial polymer NF membranes were studied in detail and systematically for their suitability to concentrate lactose, with the proviso of high flux and high to complete rejection. Preliminary trials were conducted with flat-sheet membranes and a lactose model solution and the influence of transmembrane pressure (TMP), temperature and lactose concentration was studied. Finally, results were evaluated by using spiral wound modules and real industrial whey permeate. The results offered that a membrane screening is essentially since no correlation between molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) and permeate flow could be found. The conclusions found for the lactose model solution were in good agreement with the whey permeate, but as the ions contribute to the osmotic pressure of the feed the deviations increase in the course of concentration since ions are also partly retained.