Process for the preparation of alcohols and diols

A process for reactivating an at least partially deactivated copper-containing ester hydrogenation catalyst which has undergone deactivation through use in hydrogenation of an unsaturated organic compound selected from esters of C.sub.8 to C.sub.22 monocarboxylic acids, diesters of dicarboxylic acids, and lactones, to yield a corresponding hydroxylic compound selected from alcohols and diols which comprises contacting the at least partially deactivated copper-containing catalyst at an effective reactivation temperature and for an effective period of time with a stream of hydrogen-containing gas which is substantially free from the unsaturated organic compound thereby to reactivate the at least partially deactivated copper-containing catalyst.

A process for reactivating an at least partially deactivated copper-containing ester hydrogenation catalyst which has undergone deactivation through use in hydrogenation of an unsaturated organic compound selected from C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl esters of C.sub.8 to C.sub.22 monocarboxylic acids, di-(C.sub.1 to C.sub.4) diesters of C.sub.4 to C.sub.16 dicarboxylic acids, gamma-butyrolactone and epsilon-caprolactone, to yield a corresponding alcohol or diol which comprises contacting the at least partially deactivated copper-containing catalyst at an effective reactivation temperature and for an effective period of time with a stream of hydrogen-containing gas which is substantially free from the unsaturated organic compound thereby to reactivate the at least partially deactivated copper-containing catalyst.