Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Klaus Werner

Ulrich Penzel

Gunter Georgi

Michael Sander

Dietmar Peisker

Holger Braunsberg

In a process for preparing amines, in which at least one compound containing at least one nitro group is reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a supported catalyst comprising, as catalytically active metal, nickel, if desired together with at least one metal of transition group I, V, VI and/or VIII, the reduced and stabilized supported catalyst comprises nickel crystallites having a bimodal nickel crystallite size distribution having maxima at 30-80 Angstrom and 81-150 Angstrom on a support comprising ZrO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2 --HfO.sub.2 and/or SiO.sub.2 --ZrO.sub.2 and/or SiO.sub.2 --ZrO.sub.2 --HfO.sub.2 and in the reduced and passivated state has a nickel content of 60-80 percent by mass, an SiO.sub.2 content of 0-20 percent by mass, a ZrO.sub.2 content of 0-40 percent by mass, an HfO.sub.2 content of 0-4 percent by mass and after further reduction for one hour at 100.degree. C. has a degree of reduction of at least 70%.

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Schwarzheide, Germany

Klaus Werner