Preparation of amines

Abstract

A process for the preparatiion of an amine which comprises reacting a primary or secondary alcohol and a nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia and primary and secondary amines, at temperatures of from 80.degree. to 250.degree. C. and pressures of from 1 to 400 bar using hydrogen in the presence of a zirconium/copper/nickel catalyst, wherein the catalytically active material contains from 20 to 85 wt % of oxygen-containing zirconium compounds, calculated as ZrO.sub.2, from 1 to 30 wt % of oxygen-containing compounds of copper, calculated as CuO, from 30 to 70 wt % of oxygen-containing compounds of nickel, calculated as NiO, from 0.1 to 5 wt % of oxygen-containing compounds of molybdenum, calculated as MoO.sub.3 and from 0 to 10 wt % of oxygen-containing compounds of aluminum and/or manganese, calculated as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or MnO.sub.2, respectively.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.