PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF UNSATURATED ALCOHOLS

摘要

Olefinically unsaturated alcohols (I) are prepared by selective hydrogenation of the corresponding carbonyl compounds (II) in the liquid phase with hydrogen, using an Ru, Rh, Os, Ir or Pt catalyst and carrying out the hydrogenation in the presence of from 5 to 40% by weight, based on (II), of a tertiary amine. The process is of particular importance for the selective hydrogenation of alpha , beta -unsaturated carbonyl compounds (IIa) and amongst these specifically for the hydrogenation of citral to geraniol and nerol. The preferred amine is trimethylamine.