Method for producing primary amines by means of homogeneously-catalysed alcohol amination

摘要

The invention relates to a method for producing primary amines by means of the alcohol amination of alcohols with ammonia, with water being eliminated. The method comprises the steps of: (a) a homogenously-catalysed reaction of a reaction mixture which contains at least one alcohol, ammonia, at least one non-polar solvent, and at least one catalyst containing at least one element selected from groups 8, 9 and 10 of the periodic table in the liquid phase, a product mixture (P) thus being obtained; (b) separating the phases of product mixture (P) which was obtained in step (a), if necessary after a reduction in temperature, a reduction in pressure and/or the addition of at least one polar solvent with a miscibility gap in relation to the non-polar solvent, and thus obtaining at least one polar product phase (A) and at least one non-polar phase (B) containing at least one portion of the catalyst that was introduced, with said non-polar phase (B) being separated off, (c) returning at least one portion of the non-polar phase (B) into the reaction in step (a), and (d) separating the amination product from the polar product phase (A). The non-polar solvent introduced in (a) and the catalyst introduced in step (a) are selected such that the catalyst in the non-polar phase (B) becomes enriched.