Ammonia → 2,6-Dimethylaniline

Participants

Reaction Steps

A catalyst in extrudate form, containing 0.5% by weight of Pd, 0.11% by weight of Zn and 0.1% by weight of Cd on Al2O3 as the carrier is introduced into a tubular reactor having a capacity of one liter, corresponding to 1,000 parts by volume, and is brought to 210° C. Per hour, a gaseous mixture of 400,000 parts by volume of ammonia and 10,000 parts by volume of hydrogen, and, in co-current therewith, 100 parts of 2,6-dimethylcyclohexan-1-one in gaseous form, is passed over the catalyst bed at atmospheric pressure. The reaction product is cooled sufficiently to liquefy the high-boiling constituents, which can then be distilled, whilst the gaseous constituents are recycled. In this way, 100 parts of 2,6-dimethylcyclohexan-1-one give 92 parts of 2,6-dimethylaniline (xylidine) (boiling point 216° C. at atmospheric pressure), corresponding to a yield of 96% of theory.

Provenance & Evidence