Reaction of carbonyl compounds with ammonia over Eu or Yb-containing bimetallic catalysts

Reaction of carbonyl compounds (methyl acetate, acetone and acetaldehyde) w ith ammonia at 473-523 K over LnCu/Al2O3, Ln-Fe/SiO2, Ln-Ni/SiO2 and Ln-Co/ SiO2 bimetallic catalysts, prepared by reaction of Cu/Al2O3, Fe/SiO2, Ni/Si O2 and Co/SiO2 with lanthanide metals (Ln: Eu and Yb) dissolved in liquid a mmonia, respectively, were studied. Since such bimetallic catalysts have fu nctions of hydrogenation, dehydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation from a mmonia, the reaction of carbonyl compounds with ammonia were extended to am ination, reductive alkylation or their related reactions. The catalytic pro perties varied markedly with different levels of lanthanide content in the catalysts. Ln-Cu/Al2O3 was used more efficiently when subjected to the reac tion of methyl acetate with ammonia. Upon introduction of lanthanide metals onto Cu/Al2O3, Eu-Cu/Al2O3 bimetallic catalysts were highly activated for the formation of acetonitrile. Since Eu-Cu/Al2O3 showed high activity for t he transfer hydrogenation in which ammonia was the donor of hydrogen, the r eductive amination of acetone occurred to yield isopropylamine even without direct addition of hydrogen.