Hydrogenation of aromatic amines to alicyclic amines using a lithium aluminate-based catalyst

摘要

The present invention relates to processes for the catalytic hydrogenation of aromatic amines to their acyclic counterparts using a ruthenium catalyst on a lithium aluminate support. The hydrogenation process comprises contacting an aromatic amine with hydrogen in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst under temperature and pressure conditions suitable to effect ring hydrogenation. The process is especially useful for hydrogenating aniline to cyclohexylamine.