Abstract: An improved method of preparing amines by reaction of alcohols with ammonia or primary or secondary amines at elevated temperature and superatmospheric pressure in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst containing cobalt, nickel and copper, the improvement comprising using a catalyst which contains (calculated on the metal content of the catalyst) from 70 to 95% by weight of a mixture of cobalt and nickel and from 5 to 30% by weight of copper, the ratio by weight of cobalt to nickel being from 4:1 to 1:4. The amines prepared in this way are suitable for the production of emulsifying agents, plant protection agents and vulcanization accelerators.

Abstract: A palladium catalyst for the maufacture of butene-2-diol-1,4 from technical butynediol obtained by reacting acetylene and formaldehyde by the Reppe method in contact with copper catalysts and not specially purified contains (in addition to palladium) both zinc and cadmium, or either zinc or cadmium together with bismuth or tellurium.