Preparation of tertiary amines from nitriles and secondary amines

US5894074A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Eberhard Fuchs · Bischofswerda, DE
• Boris Breitscheidel · Fulda, DE
• Rainer Becker · Bad Dürkheim, DE
• Horst Neuhauser · Dudenhofen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 31, 1998
• Grant date: Apr 13, 1999
• Expiry date: Mar 31, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C209/48
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for preparing amines of the general formula (I) EQU X(--CH.sub.2 --NR.sup.1 R.sup.2).sub.n (I) where PA1 R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are preferably methyl, X is preferably 1,4-butylene and n is preferably 2, comprises reacting nitriles of the general formula (II) EQU (R.sup.1 R.sup.2 N--CH.sub.2 --).sub.n-m X(--CN).sub.m (II) where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and X are each as defined above and m is an integer from 1 to n, with secondary amines of the general formula (III) EQU HNR.sup.1 R.sup.2 (III) where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each as defined above, and hydrogen at from 50 to 250.degree. C. and from 5 to 350 bar in the presence of a palladium catalyst comprising, based on the total weight of the catalyst, from 0.1 to 10% by weight of Pd and from 0.01 to 10% by weight of at least one further metal selected from groups IB and VII of the Periodic Table, cerium and lanthanum on a support.