The invention relates to a method for producing a metal-foam body, comprising the steps of (a) providing a metal-foam body A, which consists of nickel, cobalt, copper, or alloys or combinations thereof, (b) applying an aluminum-containing material MP to metal-foam body A so as to obtain metal-foam body AX, (c) thermally treating of metal-foam body AX, with the exclusion of oxygen, to achieve the formation of an alloy between the metallic components of metal-foam body A and the aluminum-containing material MP so as to obtain metal-foam body B, wherein the duration of the thermal treatment is chosen in dependence on the temperature of the thermal treatment and the temperature of the thermal treatment is chosen in dependence on the thickness of the metal-foam body AX. The invention also relates to the metal-foam bodies obtainable by the methods according to the invention and to the use thereof as catalysts for chemical transformations.

A cobalt catalyst and a preparation method thereof are provided. The cobalt catalyst includes a carrier and a catalytically active substance; the carrier is a cobalt-based substrate material; the catalytically active substance is grown on the surface of the carrier, and the catalytically active substance has a morphology of hydrangea-shaped nanospheres. The cobalt catalyst is an autogenously grown monolithic nanosphere catalyst with a three-dimensional structure assembled by nano-sheets on the catalyst surface. The cobalt catalyst has a high specific surface area and can fully expose the catalytically active sites to enhance the catalytic efficiency. Compared to a nanowire catalyst, the cobalt catalyst has better self-supporting properties, and the active components are not easily aggregated nor fall off during a use process. Therefore, the cobalt catalyst has a longer service life.

A supported catalyst and preparation method thereof, the catalyst comprising an organic polymer material carrier and Raney alloy particles supported on the organic polymer material carrier, wherein substantially all of the Raney alloy particles are partially embedded in the organic polymer material carrier. The catalyst can be used in hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, amination, dehalogenation or desulfuration reactions.

A supported catalyst and preparation method thereof, the catalyst comprising an organic polymer material carrier and Raney alloy particles supported on the organic polymer material carrier, wherein substantially all of the Raney alloy particles are partially embedded in the organic polymer material carrier. The catalyst can be used in hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, amination, dehalogenation or desulfuration reactions.

A method for preparing a dicyanoalkane may omit a filtration for a catalyst after a cyanation reaction can by carrying out the cyanation reaction in a state in which precipitation of a metal catalyst is suppressed. A method for preparing a dicyanoalkane may involve cyanating one or more aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and/or salt(s) thereof with an ammonia source in the presence of a predetermined compound and a catalyst, wherein, in the cyanation, the amount of the predetermined compound is maintained at a predetermined amount or more with respect to the catalyst.

A method for preparing a dicyanoalkane may omit a filtration for a catalyst after a cyanation reaction can by carrying out the cyanation reaction in a state in which precipitation of a metal catalyst is suppressed. A method for preparing a dicyanoalkane may involve cyanating one or more aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and/or salt(s) thereof with an ammonia source in the presence of a predetermined compound and a catalyst, wherein, in the cyanation, the amount of the predetermined compound is maintained at a predetermined amount or more with respect to the catalyst.

A Raney copper catalyst, a preparation method and use thereof are provided. The Raney copper catalyst includes aluminum, copper and a metal promoter, wherein the metal promoter comprises a combination of one or more of Ni, Fe, Mo, Co, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au and other elements. The preparation method includes performing high-temperature melting on a mixture containing a copper/aluminum alloy and the metal promoter to obtain a mixed metal cured compound, then smashing the mixed metal cured compound to obtain a catalyst precursor, and subsequently activating to obtain the Raney copper catalyst. The Raney copper catalyst exhibits a capability on hydrogenation reaction based on synergistic effects between metal copper and different promoter metals. Compared with the Raney copper catalyst without metal promoters, when used for preparing 1,3-propanediol through hydrogenation of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde aqueous solution, the Raney copper catalyst is higher in activity and better in stability.

A Raney copper catalyst, a preparation method and use thereof are provided. The Raney copper catalyst includes aluminum, copper and a metal promoter, wherein the metal promoter comprises a combination of one or more of Ni, Fe, Mo, Co, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au and other elements. The preparation method includes performing high-temperature melting on a mixture containing a copper/aluminum alloy and the metal promoter to obtain a mixed metal cured compound, then smashing the mixed metal cured compound to obtain a catalyst precursor, and subsequently activating to obtain the Raney copper catalyst. The Raney copper catalyst exhibits a capability on hydrogenation reaction based on synergistic effects between metal copper and different promoter metals. Compared with the Raney copper catalyst without metal promoters, when used for preparing 1,3-propanediol through hydrogenation of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde aqueous solution, the Raney copper catalyst is higher in activity and better in stability.

Process for preparing isophoronediamine, characterized in that

A) isophoronenitrile is subjected directly in one stage to aminating hydrogenation to give isophoronediamine in the presence of ammonia, hydrogen, a hydrogenation catalyst and possibly further additions, and in the presence or absence of organic solvents; or

B) isophoronenitrile is first converted fully or partly in at least two or more than two stages to isophoronenitrile imine, and this isophoronenitrile imine is subjected to aminating hydrogenation to give isophoronediamine as a pure substance or in a mixture with other components and/or isophoronenitrile, in the presence of at least ammonia, hydrogen and a catalyst.

A diamine 2-(3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexyl)propane-1,3-diamine of formula 1

##STR00001## and a process for producing 2-(3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexyl)propane-1,3-diamine by A) reacting isophorone (IP) and malononitrile to afford the intermediate 2-(3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-ylidene)malononitrile, and B) hydrogenating 2-(3,5,5-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-ylidene)malononitrile in the presence of at least one catalyst. In another embodiment, the hydrogenation in step B) of the process is performed at 20-120° C. and at 20-300 bar.