Liquid-phase hydroamination of cyclohexanone

Activity and selectivity of supported Ni, Pt, and Pd catalysts were studied in the liquidphase reductive amination of cyclohexanone at temperatures ranging from 100 to 150 °C. The catalyst 20% Ni/SiO2 is most active and selective providing a maximum yield of cyclohexylamine. The influence of the reaction conditions on the parameters of the catalytic process was studied. A detailed analysis of the reaction products was carried out using 13C NMR spectroscopy and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This made it possible to refine the reaction mechanism and to identify a new by-product earlier unknown in the literature.