Highly efficient and stable rhenium modified nickel catalyst for hydrogenation of nitriles to primary amines

Hydrogenation of nitriles confronts the challenge between hydrogenation and self-coupling of the intermediates. Here, a high selectivity of more than 96% at a conversion of 100% was achieved on the Ni-Re/SiO2 catalyst in the 3-hydroxypropionitrile hydrogenation to 3-aminopropan-1-ol, moreover, with an outstanding long-term stability, which were ascribed to the contributive role of Re in facilitating the hydrogen dissociation and intermediates adsorption.