KINETICS OF THE LIQUID-PHASE HYDROGENATION OF FURAN AMINES

The liquid phase hydrogenation reactions of both furfurylamine and 5,5 '-ethylidenedifurfurylamine to the corresponding tetrahydrofuran compo unds have been investigated over a rhodium on alumina catalyst suspend ed in a methanol solution. The reactions were studied at temperatures from 42.5 to 80.1 degrees C and hydrogen pressures from 231 to 1380 kP a (33.5 to 200 psi). The effects of the amount of catalyst and the con centrations of both reactants and products on the rates of these react ions were also investigated. Analysis of the data from these investiga tions using the method of initial rates indicates that the rates of hy drogenation of both furfurylamine and 5,5'-ethylidenedifurfurylamine a re consistent with Hougen-Watson-Langmuir-Hinshelwood reaction mechani sms. The overall activation energies for the hydrogenation of furfuryl amine and 5,5'-ethylidenedifurfurylamine are 49.4 +/- 2.5 and 63 +/- 4 kJ/mol, respectively.