PRODUCTION OF P-PHENYLENEDIAMINES

PURPOSE:To obtain the title compound in one stage with high conversion rate and selectively by reacting hydroquinones and/or p-aminophenols with ammonia in the presence of a Pd catalyst and alicyclic amine and/or alicyclic ketone. CONSTITUTION:When p-aminophenols are aminated by directly reacting p- aminophenols with ammonia to produce p-phenylenediamines, the reaction is carried out in the presence of an alicyclic amine (especially preferably cyclohexylamine) and/or alicyclic ketone (especially preferably cyclohexanone) using a Pd catalyst (especially preferably metal Pd or Pd-carried support (e.g., Pd-carried carbon, alumina or zeolite). The alicyclic amine and alicyclic ketone are preferably used at amounts of 10-30mol based on hydroquinones or p- aminophenols or mixture thereof and the Pd catalyst is preferably used at an amount of 5-20wt.%.