Reversal Effect of Phosphorus on Catalytic Performances of Supported Nickel Catalysts in Reductive Amination of 1,6‐Hexanediol

The reductive amination of 1,6-hexanediol with ammonia is one of the most promising green routes for synthesis of 1,6-hexanediamine. Herein, we developed a phosphorous modified Ni catalyst of Ni-P/Al2O3. It presented satisfactory improved selectivity to 1,6-hexanediamine in the reductive amination of 1,6-hexanediol compared to the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. The phosphorous tended to interact with Al2O3 to form AlPOx species, induced Ni nanoparticle to be flatter, and the decrease of strong acid sites, the new-formed Ni-AlPOx-Al2O3 interface and the flatter Ni nanoparticle were the key to switch the dominating product from hexamethyleneimine to 1,6-hexanediamine. This work develops an efficient catalyst for production of 1,6-hexanediamine from the reductive amination of 1,6-hexanediol, and provides a point of view about designing selective non noble metal catalysts for producing primary diamines via reductive amination of diols.