Process for the reduction of ketones and aldehydes to alcohols using a tin substituted zeolite beta

A process for the reduction of organic oxygenates selected from the group consisting of ketones, aldehydes and mixtures thereof comprising contacting the oxygenate with a secondary or primary alcohol and a catalyst at reduction conditions, thereby reducing the oxygenate to its corresponding alcohol, the catalyst comprising a molecular sieve having an empirical formula on a calcined and anhydrous basis of:

• (MwSnxTiySi1-x-y-zGez)O2
• where M is a metal having a +3 valence, “w” is the mole fraction of M and varies from zero to about 2x, “x” is the mole fraction of tin and varies from about 0.001 to about 0.1, “y” is the mole fraction of titanium and varies from zero to about 0.1 and “z” is the mole fraction of germanium and varies from zero to less than about 0.08 and characterized in that the composition has the characteristic x-ray diffraction pattern of zeolite beta, and when “w”, “y” and “z” are all zero, then the molecular sieve is amorphous with short range order or has the characteristic x-ray diffraction pattern of zeolite beta.