Catalyst and a benzene hydrogenation process using said catalyst

The invention concerns a process and catalyst for the production of cyclohexane by hydrogenation of benzene, comprising at least the two following steps: a) gradually introducing the feed of benzene for hydrogenation and a hydrogen-rich gas into a reaction zone containing a cyclohexane-rich liquid and a nickel-based catalyst in colloidal suspension and recovering a gaseous phase containing cyclohexane, hydrogen and benzene; b) introducing the gaseous phase into a reactor operating under hydrogenation conditions and containing at least one fixed bed of a solid nickel-based hydrogenation catalyst, wherein the nickel-based catalyst used in step a) is a product which results from the reduction, by at least one trialkylaluminium compound, of a solution of at least one nickel carboxylate and at least one sodium carboxylate in solution, the Ni:Na molar ratio being between 2:1 and 1000:1 in a hydrocarbon or a hydrocarbon mixture.