Process for hydrogenating a mixture in the presence of a colorless amine

The present invention relates to a process for hydrogenating a mixture (G1) in the presence of a catalyst, where the mixture (G1) comprises at least one colorless amine and at least one color-imparting component. As a result of the hydrogenation step, the at least one color-imparting component is firstly partially, preferably fully, hydrogenated, while the colorless amine, in particular aniline, is not hydrogenated or hydrogenated to only a very small extent. The color-imparting components which cause the discoloration of the amine which is itself in principle colorless are thus removed by hydrogenation, as a result of which purification of the colorless amine or the mixture (G1) is achieved.