Catalyst and process for the preparation of trifluoromethyltoluenes

摘要

A partially deactivated reduction catalyst is prepared by reacting palladium on alumina catalyst with benzotrifluoride in an amount of 0.1 to 10.0 millimoles of benzotrifluoride per gram of alumina and hydrogen in an amount ranging from 10 to 2000 moles of hydrogen per mole of benzotrifluoride at a temperature of 200 DEG C. to 300 DEG C. for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The catalyst is useful for the reduction of trifluoromethylbenzonitriles and trifluoromethylbenzylamines to produce the corresponding trifluoromethyltoluenes in high yields. The catalyst is also useful in other hydrogen reduction reactions, e.g., for conversion of o-chlorobenzonitrile, o-chlorobenzylamine and mandelonitrile to toluene and for conversion of phenethylamine to ethylbenzene.