| abstract |
The catalytic hydrogenation of an unsaturated dinitrile reactant of the formula wherein each R is an alkylene or an alkylidene radical, and each R'' is an alkyl radical, is carried out in two stages in the presence of hydrogen, a suitable diluent, and a catalyst selected from elemental ruthenium, elemental nickel, a ruthenium compound which is reducible by hydrogen to elemental ruthenium, elemental nickel compound which is reducible by hydrogen to elemental nickel, and mixtures thereof. Ammonia is present in the first stage reaction, but is absent from the second stage reaction. |