Process for the preparation of a catalyst for the hydrogenation of nitriles to amines and use of this catalyst in hydrogenation

PCT No. PCT/FR94/01477 Sec. 371 Date Sep. 23, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Sep. 23, 1996 PCT Filed Dec. 16, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO95/17960 PCT Pub. Date Jul. 6, 1995The present invention relates to the field of the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrites to amines and, more particularly, of dinitriles such as adiponitrile (ADN) to diamines such as hexamethylenediamine (HMD). More precisely, the present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a catalyst for the hydrogenation of nitriles to amines of Raney nickel type doped with at least one additional metal element selected from columns IVb, Vb and VIb of the periodic classification. It is targeted at providing an economic and easy-to-implement process which makes it possible to obtain catalysts which are both active and selective with respect to nitrites and stable. The process is characterized in that it consists in suspending Raney nickel in a solution, preferably an acid solution, of the additional metal element.