Abstract: Process for preparing a symmetrical secondary amine by reaction of a primary amine in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst whose preparation has involved precipitation of catalytically active components onto monoclinic, tetragonal or cubic zirconium dioxide.

Abstract: Process for preparing an amine by reacting a primary or secondary alcohol, aldehyde or ketone with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia and primary and secondary amines in the presence of a catalyst whose preparation has involved precipitation of catalytically active components onto monoclinic, tetragonal or cubic zirconium dioxide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for recovering 3-aminomethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexylamine(isophoronediamine, IPDA) having a cis/trans isomer ratio of at least 73/27 by fractional distillation, which comprises the following steps: a) providing IPDA in a cis/trans isomer ratio of <73/27; b) feeding IPDA into the middle region of a distillation column having internals and distilling the IPDA in this distillation column at a temperature of from 5 to 300° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to processes for preparing 3-aminomethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclo-hexylamine (isophoronediamine, IPDA) having a high cis/trans isomer ratio. IPDA having a cis/trans isomer ratio in the range from 63/37 to 66/34 can be obtained in any desired cis/trans isomer ratio, irrespective of temperature, by reacting IPDA with H2 and NH3 in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst. IPDA having a cis/trans isomer ratio of at least 73/27 which is an important starting material for the synthesis of polyurethanes and polyamides can be obtained by combining this isomerization process with distillative processes.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the preparation of ethyldimethylamine and triethylamine with the following steps: (i) reaction of a mixture of diethylamine and dimethylamine with ethylene in the presence of a catalyst from the group of alkali metal dimethylamides, alkali metal diethylamides and alkali metal hydrides (ii) removal of the catalyst (iii) distillation separation of the resulting mixture in triethylamine and ethyldimethylamine and optionally diethylamine and dimethylamine (iv) optional return of the catalyst and of the starting amines to the reaction. The process according to the invention permits the coproduction of ethyldimethylamine and diethylamine in a simple process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous process for the selective hydrogenation of olefinically unsaturated carbonyl compounds to give unsaturated alcohols in particular of citral to give a mixture of geraniol and nerol, in a reactor containing a liquid phase, in which at least one catalyst is suspended, and which can additionally contain a gas phase, wherein the liquid phase and, if present, the gas phase are passed through a device in the reactor having openings or channels.

Abstract: A process for preparing ethylamines, butylamines and mixed ethyl/butylamines comprising the following steps: (i) Hydroamination of butadiene and ethylene by means of a monoalkylamine and/or a dialkylamine in which alkyl=ethyl and/or butyl in the presence of an alkali metal amide as catalyst, (ii) isomerization of the amines obtained in the hydroamination (i), if appropriate under the following conditions: (iia) prior fractionation into particular fractions and/or (iib) isomerization under hydrogenating conditions and/or (iic) isomerization in the presence of ammonia, (iii) fractionation of the resulting product mixture with isolation of the desired product amines and recycle of the amines suitable as starting material to step (i).

Abstract: Disclosed are catalysts, the catalytically active mass of which contains 22 to 40 percent by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of zirconium, calculated as ZrO2, 1 to 30 percent by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of copper, calculated as CuO, 15 to 50 percent by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of nickel, calculated as NiO, the molar ratio between nickel and copper being greater than 1, 15 to 50 percent by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of cobalt, calculated as CoO, and less than 1 percent by weight of an alkali metal, calculated as alkali metal oxide, prior to being treated with hydrogen. Also disclosed is a method for the production of amines by reacting primary and secondary alcohols, aldehydes, or ketones with hydrogen and nitrogen compounds selected from the group ammonia, primary and secondary amines, in the presence of said catalysts at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure.

Abstract: A process for preparing dialkylamides of the alkali metals by reacting the corresponding dialkylamine with the corresponding alkali metal in the presence of an electron-donating substance selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, naphthalene and styrene with formation of small amounts of butenyldialkylamine comprises suspending the corresponding alkali metal in a solvent and subsequently adding dialkylamine and electron-donating substance in such a way that the dialkylamine is present in an amount of up to 45% by weight, preferably up to 25% by, weight, in particular up to 15% by weight, and the butadiene is present in an amount of up to 5% by weight, preferably up to 3% by weight, in particular up to 1.5% by weight.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds suitable as dispersion agent for pigments, of general formulae (I) to (III): R1—X—[—CO—NH—R2—NH—CO—Y—R3—Y—]r—CO—NH—R2—NH—CO—X—R1 (I); R1—X—[—CO—NH—R2—NH—CO—Y—R3—Y—]r—CO—NH—R4 (II); R1—X—[—CO—NH—R2—NH—CO—Y—R3—Y—]r—CO—NH—R2—NH—CO—Z—R5 (III), where R1=an alkyl-capped oligoalkylenoxide residue of general formula (IV): R6O—(—CH2—CH2—O—)a—(R7—O—)b— (IV), and X, Y and Z each=O or NH, R2=arylene or arylalkylene group on a diisocyanate, R3=alkylene, arylene or arylalkylene group on a diol or diamine, R4=alkyl, aryl or arylalkyl group on a monoisocyanate, R5=alkyl, aryl or arylalkyl on a monoalcohol or monioamine, R6=alkyl with 1 to 4 C atoms, R7=branched alkylene group with 3 to 8 C atoms, r=a rational number from 0 to 100, a=a whole number from 1 to 300 and b=a whole number from 0 to 30.

Abstract: In a process for preparing alkylamines (product amines) by reacting alkenes with amines (starting amines) in the presence of a metal hydride or metal as catalyst is carried out in the process of the present invention, the reaction is carried out in the presence of a cocatalyst whose acidity is higher than that of the starting amine.

Abstract: In a process for preparing 3-aminomethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexylamine (isophoronediamine, IPDA) having a cis/trans isomer ratio of at least 70/30 from 3-cyano-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexanone (isophoronenitrile, IPN), NH3 and H2, the hydrogenation is carried out at from 50 to 200° C. and a pressure of from 50 to 300 bar in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst having an alkali metal content of ≦0.03% by weight, calculated as alkali metal oxide referring to the total weight of the catalyst.

Abstract: Process for preparing a symmetrical secondary amine by reaction of a primary amine in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst whose preparation has involved precipitation of catalytically active components onto monoclinic, tetragonal or cubic zirconium dioxide.

Abstract: Mixtures of primary amines of the formula (I) X—CH2—NH2  (I) and secondary amines of the formula (II) (X—CH2—)2NH  (II) where X is C1-20-alkyl, C2-20-alkenyl or C3-8-cycloalkyl which may be unsubstituted or substituted by C1-20-alkyl, C3-8-cycloalkyl, C4-20-alkylcycloalkyl, C4-20-cycloalkylalkyl, C2-20-alkoxyalkyl, C6-14-aryl, C7-20-alkylaryl, C7-20-aralkyl, C1-20-alkoxy, hydroxy, C1-20-hydroxyalkyl, amino, C1-20-alkylamino, C2-20-dialkylamino, C2-12-alkenylamino. C3-8-cycloalkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, aryl-C1-8-alkylamino, halogen, mercapto, C2-20-alkenyloxy, C3-8-cycloalkoxy, aryloxy and/or C2-8-alkoxycarbonyl are prepared by reacting nitriles of the formula (III) X—CN  (III) with hydrogen at from 50 to 250° C. and pressures of from 5 to 350 bar in the presence of a Pd-containing catalyst comprising, based on the total weight of the catalyst, from 0.1 to 10% by weight of Pd on a support.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of tetrahydrogeraniol, wherein the product mixtures and distillation residues from linalool, citronellal, citronellol or geraniol/nerol synthesis are fed directly to catalytic hydrogenation.

Abstract: Process for the catalytic hydrogenation of an aliphatically unsaturated group in an organic compound in the presence of a catalyst whose preparation has involved precipitation of catalytically active components onto monoclinic, tetragonal or cubic zirconium dioxide.

Abstract: Process for preparing an amine by reacting a primary or secondary alcohol, aldehyde or ketone with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia and primary and secondary amines in the presence of a catalyst whose preparation has involved precipitation of catalytically active components onto monoclinic, tetragonal or cubic zirconium dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for selective liquid phase hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds of the general formula I, where R1 and R2 are identical or different and are each independently hydrogen or a saturated or a mono- or polyunsaturated straight-chain or branched, optionally substituted C1-C20-alkyl radical, an optionally substituted aryl radical or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, to give the corresponding alcohols of the general formula II where R1 and R2 are each as defined above, in the presence of hydrogen and a Pt/ZnO catalyst.

Abstract: The preparation of amines of the formula (I): R1R2CH—N R3R4  (I) in which R1, R2, R3 and R4, independently of one another, are hydrogen, straight-chain or branched C1-C12-alkyl, C3-C12-cycloalkyl, C6-C10-aryl or C7-C11-aralkyl, takes place by catalytic, reductive amination of mixtures comprising carbonyl compounds of the formula (II) and/or alcohols of the formula (III) R1—C(═O)—R2  (II) R1—CH(OH)—R2  (III) which also comprise at least 50 ppm, based on the mixtures, of halogen, with nitrogen compounds of the formula (IV): H N R3 R4  (IV) with the abovementioned meanings for R1 to R4, in the presence of Co- and/or Ni-containing catalysts, which comprises carrying out the reductive amination additionally in the presence of solid acidic cocatalysts.

Abstract: Nitriles are hydrogenated to primary amines over an activated, alpha-Al2O3-containing, macroporous Raney catalyst based on an alloy of aluminum and at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt and nickel, and, if desired, one or more further transition metals selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, chromium and manganese, which is obtainable by a process comprising the steps in the order (a)-(f): (a) preparing a kneadable composition comprising the alloy, a shaping aid, water and a pore former; (b) shaping the kneadable composition to form a shaped body; (c) calcining the shaped body; (d) activating the calcined shaped body by treatment with aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution; (e) rinsing the shaped catalyst body with aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution; (f) rinsing the shaped catalyst body with water.