Catalytic hydrogenation of aromatic nitro compounds to amines

Claim 2

A CATALYST SUITABLE FOR EFFECTING CATALYTIC HYDROGENATION REACTIONS, COMPRISING ESSENTIALLY AN INTIMATE MIXTURE OF NICKEL SULFIDE AND AMORPHOUS ALUMINA, THE AMOUNT OF AMORPHOUS ALUMINA BEING ABOUT 10% TO ABOUT 90% OF THE WEIGHT OF THE CATALYST, SAID CATALYST HAVING BEEN OBTAINED, BY A PROCEDURE INCLUDING A SULFIDING TREATMENT, FROM A MIXTURE OF OXIDES OF NICKEL AND ALUMINUM WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY IGNITING A MIXTURE OF NICKEL AND ALUMINUM SALTS.

Claim 3

IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING A MONONUCLEAR AROMATIC PRIMARY AMINE BY THE VAPOR-PHASE CATALYTIC REDUCTION OF THE CORRESPONDING MONONUCLEAR AROMATIC NITRO HYDROCARBON WITH HYDROGEN, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING A MIXTURE OF VAPOR OF SAID MONONUCLEARAROMATIC NITRO HYDROCARBON AND AT LEAST 41/2 MOLS OF HYDROGEN PER MOL OF NITRO HYDROCARBON, AT A TEMPERATURE OF 250* TO 450*C., WITH A CATALYST ESSENTIALLY COMPRISING AN INTIMATE MIXTURE OF NICKEL SULFIDE AND AMORPHOUS ALUMINA, THE AMOUNT OF AMORPHOUS ALUMINA BEING ABOUT 10% TO ABOUT 90% OF THE WEIGHT OF THE CATALYST, SAID CATALYST HAVING BEEN OBTAINED, BY A PROCEDURE INCLUDING A SULFIDING TREATMENT, FROM A MIXTURE OF OXIDES OF NICKEL AND ALUMINUM WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY IGNITING A MIXTURE OF NICKEL AND ALUMINUM SALTS.

Claim 4

IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING A MONONUCLEAR AROMATIC PRIMARY AMINE BY THE VAPOR-PHASE CATALYTIC REDUCTION OF THE CORRESPONDING MONONUCLEAR AROMATIC NITRO HYDROCARBON WITH HYDROGEN, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING A MIXTURE OF VAPOR OF SAID MONONUCLEARAROMATIC NITRO HYDROCARBON AND AT LEAST 41/2 MOLS OF HYDROGEN PER MOL OF NITRO HYDROCARBON, AT A TEMPERATURE OF 250* TO 450*C., WITH A CATALYST ESSENTIALLY COMPRISING AN INTIMATE MIXTURE OF NICKEL SULFIDE AND AMORPHOUS ALUMINA, THE AMOUNT OF AMORPHOUS ALUMINA BEING ABOUT 10% TO ABOUT 90% OF THE WEIGHT OF THE CATALYST, SAID CATALYST HAVING BEEN OBTAINED, BY A PROCEDURE INCLUDING A SULFIDING TREATMENT, FROM A MIXTURE OF OXIDES OF NICKEL AND ALUMINUM WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY IGNITING A MIXTURE OF NICKEL AND ALUMINUM SALTS.