Process for hydrogenating aromatic dinitriles

摘要

A process for the hydrogenation of aromatic dinitriles to the corresponding cycloaliphatic aminomethyl compounds by (1) hydrogenating the nitrile in an ether solvent containing water and ammonia using nickel or cobalt as catalyst, (2) removing by-products from the aromatic diamine thus produced, (3) subjecting the aromatic diamine to hydrogenation with a ruthenium catalyst in an aqueous solvent system devoid of ammonia and (4) isolating the cycloaliphatic diamine product.