Process for the hydrogenation of nitrated paraffins using a palladium on carbon catalyst characterized by a low ash and a low halide content

The method which comprises

• leaching a high ash carbon in contact with a hydrohalic acid thereby forming a reduced ash carbon containing halide values;
• leaching said reduced ash carbon in contact with a solution containing at least one composition selected from the group consisting of water-soluble organic carboxylic acids and ammonium salts thereof thereby forming a reduced ash carbon containing decreased halide values;
• depositing palladium on said reduced ash carbon containing decreased halide values thereby forming the catalyst;
• hydrogenating a charge nitrated hydrocarbon at hydrogenation conditions including hydrogenation temperature of 100.degree.-460.degree. F in the presence of said catalyst thereby forming a product stream containing hydrogenated product;
• and
• recovering said hydrogenated stream containing said hydrogenated product.

The method of preparing a primary amine of a C.sub.6 -C.sub.25 hydrocarbon by hydrogenating a corresponding charge nitrated C.sub.6 -C.sub.25 hydrocarbon which comprises

• hydrogenating said charge C.sub.6 -C.sub.25 nitrated hydrocarbon at hydrogenation conditions including hydrogenation temperature of 100.degree.-450.degree. F and hydrogenation pressure of 10-300 atmospheres in the presence of, as catalyst a pelletted carbon having an ash content of less than about 0.1% and a halide content of less than about 0.5% and bearing 0.2-5% of palladium deposited thereon, said catalyst having been prepared by
• leaching a high ash carbon in contact with an aqueous solution containing hydrofluoric acid thereby forming a reduced ash carbon containing halide values;
• leaching said reduced ash carbon containing halide values in contact with an aqueous solution containing acetic acid thereby forming a reduced ash carbon containing decreased halide values;
• and
• depositing palladium metal on said reduced ash carbon containing decreased halide values;
• thereby forming a product stream containing hydrogenated product;
• and
• recovering said product stream containing said hydrogenated product.

The method of preparing a primary amine of a C.sub.6 -C.sub.25 hydrocarbon by hydrogenating a corresponding charge nitrated C.sub.6 -C.sub.25 hydrocarbon which comprises

• hydrogenating said charge C.sub.6 -C.sub.25 nitrated hydrocarbon at hydrogenation conditions including hydrogenation temperature of 100.degree.-450.degree. F and hydrogenation pressure of 10-300 atmospheres in the presence of, as catalyst a pelletted carbon having an ash content of less than about 0.1% and a halide content of less than about 0.5% and bearing 0.2-5% of palladium deposited thereon, said catalyst having been prepared by
• leaching a high ash carbon in contact with an aqueous solution containing hydrochloric acid thereby forming a reduced ash carbon containing chloride values;
• leaching said reduced ash carbon containing chloride values with an aqueous solution containing hydrofluoric acid thereby forming a reduced ash carbon containing fluoride values;
• leaching said reduced ash carbon containing fluoride values in contact with an aqueous solution containing acetic acid thereby forming a reduced ash carbon containing decreased halide values;
• and
• depositing palladium metal on said reduced ash carbon containing decreased halide values;
• thereby forming a product stream containing hydrogenated product;
• and
• recovering said product stream containing said hydrogenated product.