US Patent 6998507 Hydrogenation of methylenedianiline

The invention is directed to an improvement in a catalytic process for the ring hydrogenation of a methylenedianiline feedstock, including crude methylenedianiline. One component of the improvement is a pretreatment process which resides in passing the crude methylenedianiline feedstock over a ruthenium catalyst carried on a fixed bed support, cooling without venting, and then hydrogenation of the pretreated crude methylenedianiline feedstock over a rhodium catalyst or a mixed Rh/Ru catalyst carried on a monolith support and carrying out the ring hydrogenation in a batch reaction. Another component in the improvement is the employment of a catalyst comprised of rhodium and ruthenium carried on a monolith support.