Process for hydrogenation reaction of unsaturated organic compounds

A process for hydrogenation of organic compounds which comprises reducing with hydrogen an unsaturated organic compound wherein the organic compound is a carbonyl compound expressed by the following formula ##EQU3## wherein R is an alkyl or aralkyl group having up to 12 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 stands for a hydrogen atom or the group R, and R.sup.2 stands for a lower alkyl group having up to 4 carbon atoms.

• in the presence of a solid catalyst for reduction, wherein the solid reduction catalyst consists essentially of a product obtained by calcining and reducing at a temperature of 350.degree. to 700.degree.C. in a hydrogen stream a precursor compound having a composition expressed by the following general formula
• M.sub.x Ni.sub.y Al.sub.z (OH).sub.2x.sub.+2y.sub.+3z.sub.-tp (A).sub.p .aH.sub.2 O
• wherein A stands for an anion, M stands for at least one metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium and zinc, t designates the valency of the anion A, and x, y, z, p and a are such numbers that when z is 2, the following relations are established:
• x + y = 0.1 to 20,
• x = 0 to 19.9, and
• y = 0.1 to 20
• and the following conditions are satisfied:
• 1/6>p/(x + y + z)>1/20, and
• a>0
• and having substantially the following diffraction pattern in the powder X-ray diffractiometry (Cu-K.alpha.)
• d (A) I/Io ______________________________________ 7.5 - 21.02 100 3.6 - 10.6 5 - 80 2.4 - 6.4 5 - 60 ______________________________________