Roche Vitamins Inc.

Oliver Gerald Degischer

Felix Roessler

A process for the modification of a hydrogenation catalyst of the Raney nickel, Raney cobalt, nickel-on-carrier or cobalt-on-carrier type, which process includes treating the hydrogenation catalyst at temperatures of about 0&deg; C. to about 120&deg; C. with carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, a lower aliphatic aldehyde, an aromatic aldehyde, an aliphatic ketone, an aromatic ketone, a mixed aliphatic/aromatic ketone, glyoxal, pyruvaldehyde or glyoxylic acid as the modification agent in a liquid dispersion medium consisting of water or an organic solvent for a duration of about 15 minutes to about 24 hours. When the thus-modified catalyst is used in the hydrogenation of a nitrile to the corresponding amine, the selectivity is increased, and significantly favors the amount of the primary amine vis-&agrave;-vis the undesired secondary amine in the hydrogenation product as compared to when the corresponding unmodified catalyst is employed. The present invention concerns, in a second aspect, a process for the hydrogenation of a nitrile to the corresponding primary amine using a thus-modified catalyst.

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Zurich, Switzerland

Oliver Gerald Degischer