Highly saturated, highly aminated alkoxylated polymers may be reliably made by an improved process involving the steps of (1) polymerizing one or more unsaturated hydrocarbons to form a liquid polymer, where at least one of the unsaturated hydrocarbons is butadiene; (2) providing the liquid polymer with terminal hydroxyl groups; (3) alkoxylating the hydroxylated liquid polymer with one or more alkylene oxides having at least three carbon atoms to provide secondary terminal hydroxyl groups; (4) simultaneously aminating and hydrogenating the alkoxylated liquid polymer to produce an essentially saturated, aminated, alkoxylated liquid polymer in the presence of hydrogen and ammonia and a catalyst. The catalyst preferably contains nickel as the single greatest component, with smaller amounts of copper, chromium and molybdenum. Excesses of hydrogen and ammonia are used in the final step.

This invention includes catalysts comprising rhenium (atomic number 75), nickel, cobalt, boron and copper and/or ruthenium impregnated on a support material and a process for preparing said catalyst, said process comprising (i) impregnating a mixture of metals comprising rhenium, cobalt, copper and/or ruthenium, boron and nickel on a support material selected from the group consisting of alpha-alumina, silica, silica-alumina, kiesolguhrs or diatomaceous earths, and silica-titanias; and (ii) activating said catalyst by heating the catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at an effective temperature preferably in the range of about 150.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. for a sufficient period preferably of from about 30 minutes to about 6 hours. A further feature of the present invention is a method for producing amine products by the catalytic amination of alkane or arylalkane derivatives including epoxides, monols, diols, polyethers, polyols, alcoholamines, ketones, imino compounds iminoalcohols, ether alcohols, and mixtures thereof, said process comprising contacting said lower alkane or arylalkane derivatives with ammonia and/or reactant amine at an effective temperature preferably from 150.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. and in the presence of hydrogen and the nickel-rhenium-cobalt-boron-copper and/or ruthenium catalyst as described hereinabove.

This invention includes catalysts comprising rhenium (atomic number 75), nickel, cobalt, boron and copper and/or ruthenium impregnated on a support material and a process for preparing said catalyst, said process comprising (i) impregnating a mixture of metals comprising rhenium, cobalt, copper and/or ruthenium, boron and nickel on a support material selected from the group consisting of alpha-alumina, silica, silica-alumina, kieselguhrs or diatomaceous earths, and silica-titanias; and (ii) activating said catalyst by heating the catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at an effective temperature preferably in the range of about 150.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. for a sufficient period preferably of from about 30 minutes to about 6 hours. A further feature of the present invention is a method for producing amine products by the catalytic amination of alkane or arylalkane derivatives including epoxides, monols, diols, polyethers, polyols, alcoholamines, ketones, imino compounds iminoalcohols, ether alcohols, and mixtures thereof, said process comprising contacting said lower alkane or arylalkane derivatives with ammonia and/or reactant amine at an effective temperature preferably from 150.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. and in the presence of hydrogen and the nickel-rhenium-cobalt-boron-copper and/or ruthenium catalyst as described hereinabove.

This invention includes catalysts comprising rhenium (atomic number 75), nickel, cobalt, boron and copper and/or ruthenium impregnated on a support material and a process for preparing said catalyst, said process comprising (i) impregnating a mixture of metals comprising rhenium, cobalt, copper and/or ruthenium, boron and nickel on a support material selected from the group consisting of alpha-alumina, silica, silica-alumina, kieselguhrs or diatomaceous earths, and silica-titanias; and (ii) activating said catalyst by heating the catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at an effective temperature preferably in the range of about 150.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. for a sufficient period preferably of from about 30 minutes to about 6 hours. A further feature of the present invention is a method for producing amine products by the catalytic amination of polyether derivatives including epoxides, monols, diols, polyethers, polyols, alcoholamines, ketones, imino compounds iminoalcohols, ether alcohols, and mixtures thereof, said process comprising contacting said lower polyether derivatives with ammonia and/or reactant amine at an effective temperature preferably from 150.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C. and at an effective pressure preferably from 1000-5000 psig (6895-34,474 kpag)and in the presence of hydrogen and the nickel-rhenium-cobalt-boron-copper and/or ruthenium catalyst as described hereinabove.