Production of hexamethylenimine

A process for the continuous manufacture of hexamethylenimine which comprises passing hydrogen and a liquid phase of hexamethylene diamine in an inert liquid solvent continuously through a reaction zone in contact with a hydrogenation catalyst consisting essentially of 5 to 25% of nickel, 0.5 to 10% of copper and 0.1 to 5% of manganese supported on a catalyst carrier and maintained at 120.degree. to 280.degree. C. and 0.1 to 50 bars pressure, said inert solvent having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of at least 140.degree. C. and the concentration of said hexamethylene diamine in the liquid phase being about 10 to 250 grams per liter of liquid phase, continuously distilling off hexamethylenimine from said reaction zone, and recycling at least a portion of the liquid phase which is withdrawn from said reaction zone back to the feed end of said reaction zone with fresh hexamethylene diamine being added to the recycled liquid phase.

A process for the continuous manufacture of hexamethylenimine which comprises passing hydrogen and a liquid phase of hexamethylene diamine in an inert liquid solvent continuously through a reaction zone in contact with a hydrogenation catalyst containing, as catalytically active components, at least one of the metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, manganese, silver, copper and chromium and maintained at 120.degree. to 280.degree. C. and 0.1 to 50 bars pressure, said inert solvent having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of at least 140.degree. C. and the concentration of said hexamethylene diamine in the liquid phase being about 3 to 10% by weight per liter of liquid phase, continuously distilling off hexamethylenimine from said reaction zone, and recycling at least a portion of the liquid phase which is withdrawn from said reaction zone back to the feed end of said reaction zone with fresh hexamethylene diamine being added to the recycled liquid phase.

A process for the continuous manufacture of hexamethylenimine which comprises passing hydrogen and a liquid phase of hexamethylene diamine in an inert liquid solvent through a reaction zone in contact with a hydrogenation catalyst consisting essentially of 5-25% nickel, 0.5 to 10% of copper and 0.1 to 5% of manganese supported on a catalyst carrier and maintained at 120.degree. to 280.degree. C. and 0.1 to 50 bars pressure, said inert solvent having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of at least 140.degree. C. and the concentration of said hexamethylene diamine in the liquid phase being about 10 to 250 grams per liter of liquid phase, and continuously distilling off hexamethylenimine from said reaction zone.

A process for the continuous manufacture of hexamethylenimine which comprises the steps of passing hydrogen and a liquid phase of hexamethylenediamine in an inert liquid solvent through a reaction zone maintained at 120.degree. C. to 280.degree. C. and 0.1 to 50 bars pressure in contact with a hydrogenation catalyst containing, as catalytically active components, at least one of the metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, manganese, silver, copper and chromium, the concentration of said hexamethylene diamine in the reaction mixture being about 3 to 10% and continuously distilling off hexamethylenimine from said reaction zone, said inert solvent having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of at least 140.degree. C.