Improved nickel catalyst, process for the preparation thereof, process for hydrogenation of m-dinitrobenzene to m-phenylene diamine

摘要

A nickel based bimetallic catalyst of the formula Ni(x)B(y)/A is disclosed wherein A is a support selected from the group consisting of carbon, alumina, silica, carbonate and zeolite, B is selected from the group consisting of platinum and palladium and x = 0.5 - 99.9%' y=0.2 to 10%, expressed as % of A. A process for the preparation is also disclosed and a process for the hydrogenation using the catalyst to hydrogenate m-dinitro benzene to m-phenylene diamine in the presence of a supported bimetallic platinum catalyst using methanol as a solvent. The catalyst of the present invention is a bimetallic catalyst prepared by precipitation and impregnation technique at very specific preparation conditions.