In a process for preparing alcohols by catalytic hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds
over a catalyst comprising rhenium on activated carbon, the catalyst used comprises
rhenium (calculated as metal) in a weight ratio to the activated carbon of from
0.0001 to 0.5, platinum (calculated as metal) in a weight ratio to the activated
carbon of from 0.0001 to 0.5 and, if appropriate, at least one further metal selected
from among Zn, Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Fe, Ru, Mn, Cr, Mo, W and V in a weight ratio to
the activated carbon of from 0 to 0.25, and the activated carbon has been nonoxidatively
pretreated It is also possible to prepare ethers and lactones if the hydrogen pressure
is not more than 25 bar. In this case, the activated carbon in the catalyst may
also have been nonoxidatively pretreated.
