The present invention relates to processes for the catalytic hydrogenation
of aromatic amines to their acyclic counterparts using a ruthenium
catalyst on a lithium aluminate support. The hydrogenation process
comprises contacting an aromatic amine with hydrogen in the presence of a
ruthenium catalyst under temperature and pressure conditions suitable to
effect ring hydrogenation. The process is especially useful for
hydrogenating aniline to cyclohexylamine.