Process for reductively aminating ketones and aldehydes with aqueous amines and catalysts suitable therefor

1234123 4 1123126107111234A process for preparing amines of the general formula (I) RRCHNRR (I) in which R, R, Rand Rare each independently hydrogen, straight-chain or branched, halogenated or halogen-free C-C-alkyl, C-C-cycloalkyl, C-C-aryl or C-C-aralkyl, by catalytic, hydrogenating amination of carbonyl compounds of the general formula (II) R-C(═O)-R (II) with nitrogen compounds of the general formula (III) HNRR (III) in the presence of bifunctional catalyst systems comprising a.) a hydrogenation-active catalyst component comprising one or more metals of transition group 8 of the Periodic Table and b.) one or more solid, acidic cocatalysts, wherein the hydrogenating amination is carried out in the presence of aqueous ammonia or aqueous amine of the formula (III) and at least one organic solvent miscible with ammonia or the aqueous amine of the formula (III).