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: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of N-substituted 2,6-dialkylmorpholines of the formula I in which R1 and R2, independently of one another, are hydrogen, alkyl or cycloalkyl, or R1 and R2 together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded are a 5- to 14-membered carbocycle, and R3 and R4, independently of one another, are alkyl or cycloalkyl, by reacting at least one carbonyl compound of the formula II in which R1 and R2 have the meanings given above, with at least one morpholine of the formula III in which R3 and R4 have the meanings given above, in the presence of hydrogen and at least one metal-containing catalyst, wherein the active component of the catalyst consists essentially of platinum group metals.

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: Secondary amines of the formula (II) (X—CH2—)2NH  (II) where X is a C1-20-alkyl, C2-20-alkenyl or C3-8-cycloalkyl group which may be unsubstituted or substituted by C1-20-alkyl, C3-8-cycloalkyl, C4-20-alkylcycloalkyl, C4-20-cycoalkylalkyl, 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 20 to 250° C. and pressures of from 60 to 350 bar in the presence of an Rh-containing catalyst comprising from 0.