Abstract: Amines are prepared by reacting aldehydes or ketones at elevated temperature under elevated pressure with nitrogen compounds selected from the group of ammonia, primary and secondary amines, and with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst containing copper, wherein the catalytically active mass of the catalyst contains, before the reduction with hydrogen, 20 to 85% by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of zirconium, calculated as ZrO2, 1 to 30% by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of copper, calculated as CuO, 14 to 70% by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of nickel, calculated as NiO, 0 to 5% by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of molybdenum, calculated as MoO3, and 0 to 10% by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of aluminum, calculated as Al2O3.

Abstract: Amines are prepared from primary or secondary alcohols and nitrogen compounds selected from the group of ammonia, primary and secondary amines, at from 80 to 250.degree. C. under pressures from 0.1 to 40 MPa with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst comprising zirconium, copper and nickel, wherein the catalytically active composition comprises20-85% by weight of oxygen-containing zirconium compounds, calculated as ZrO.sub.2,1-30% by weight of oxygen-containing copper compounds, calculated as CuO,14-70% by weight of oxygen-containing nickel compounds, calculated as NiO, where the molar ratio of nickel to copper is greater than 1,0-10% by weight of oxygen-containing aluminum and/or manganese compounds, calculated as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and/or MnO.sub.2,and no oxygen-containing cobalt or molybdenum compounds.