A process for preparing primary amines which have at least one functional group of the formula (-CH 2 -NH 2) and at least one further primary amino group by alcohol amination of starting materials having at least one functional group of the formula (-CH 2 -OH) and at least one further functional group (-X), where (-X) is selected from among hydroxyl groups and primary amino groups, by means of ammonia with elimination of water, wherein the reaction is carried out homogeneously catalyzed in the presence of at least one complex catalyst comprising at least one element selected from groups 8, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table and also at least one donor ligand, wherein the complex catalyst is a catalyst of the formula I: where L 1 and L 2 are each, independently of one another, PR a R b, NR 3 R b, sulfide, SH, S(=O)R, C 5 -C 10 -heteroaryl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, 0 and S, AsR a R b, SbR a R b and N-heterocyclic carbenes of the formula II or III: L 3 is a monodentate two-electron donor selected from the group consisting of CO, PR a R b R c, NO +, AsR a R b R c, SbR a R b R c, SR a R b, RCN, RNC, N 2, PF 3, CS, pyridine, thiophene, tetrahydrothiophene and N-heterocyclic carbenes of the formula II or III; R 1 and R 2 are both hydrogen or together with the carbon atoms to which they are bound form a phenyl ring which together with the quinolinyl unit of the formula I forms an acridinyl unit; R, R a, R b, R c, R 3, R 4 and R 5 are each, independently of one another, unsubstituted or at least monosubstituted C 1 -C 10 -alkyl, C 3 -C 10 -cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 10 -heterocyclyl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, 0 and S, C 5 -C 10 -aryl or C 5 -C 10 -heteroaryl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, 0 and S, where the substituents are selected from the group consisting of: F, Cl, Br, OH, CN, NH 2 and C 1 -C 10 -alkyl; Y is a monoanionic ligand selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, Br, I, OCOR, OCOCF 3, OSO 2 R, OSO 2 CF 3, CN, OH, OR and N 2 or an uncharged molecule selected from the group consisting of NH 3, N 3 and R 2 NSO 2 R; X 1 represents one, two, three, four, five, six or seven substituents on one or more atoms of the acridinyl unit or one, two, three, four or five substituents on one or more atoms of the quinolinyl unit, where the radicals X 1 are selected independently from the group consisting of hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, NH 2, NO 2,-NC R, C NR 2, -OC R, -C OR, CN and borane derivatives which can be obtained from the catalyst of the formula I by reaction with NaBH 4 and unsubstituted or at least monosubstituted C 1 -C 10 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 10 -alkyl, C 3 -C 10 -cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 10 -heterocyclyl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, O and S, C 5 -C 10 -aryl and C 5 -C 10 -heteroaryl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, O and S, where the substitutents are selected from the group consisting of: F, Cl, Br, OH, CN, NH 2 and C 1 -C 10 -alkyl; and M is iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium or platinum. L 1 and L 2 are each, independently of one another, PR a R b, NR 3 R b, sulfide, SH, S(=O)R, C 5 -C 10 -heteroaryl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, 0 and S, AsR a R b, SbR a R b and N-heterocyclic carbenes of the formula II or III: L 3 is a monodentate two-electron donor selected from the group consisting of CO, PR a R b R c, NO +, AsR a R b R c, SbR a R b R c, SR a R b, RCN, RNC, N 2, PF 3, CS, pyridine, thiophene, tetrahydrothiophene and N-heterocyclic carbenes of the formula II or III; R 1 and R 2 are both hydrogen or together with the carbon atoms to which they are bound form a phenyl ring which together with the quinolinyl unit of the formula I forms an acridinyl unit; R, R a, R b, R c, R 3, R 4 and R 5 are each, independently of one another, unsubstituted or at least monosubstituted C 1 -C 10 -alkyl, C 3 -C 10 -cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 10 -heterocyclyl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, 0 and S, C 5 -C 10 -aryl or C 5 -C 10 -heteroaryl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, 0 and S, where the substituents are selected from the group consisting of: F, Cl, Br, OH, CN, NH 2 and C 1 -C 10 -alkyl; Y is a monoanionic ligand selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, Br, I, OCOR, OCOCF 3, OSO 2 R, OSO 2 CF 3, CN, OH, OR and N 2 or an uncharged molecule selected from the group consisting of NH 3, N 3 and R 2 NSO 2 R; X 1 represents one, two, three, four, five, six or seven substituents on one or more atoms of the acridinyl unit or one, two, three, four or five substituents on one or more atoms of the quinolinyl unit, where the radicals X 1 are selected independently from the group consisting of hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, I, OH, NH 2, NO 2,-NC R, C NR 2, -OC R, -C OR, CN and borane derivatives which can be obtained from the catalyst of the formula I by reaction with NaBH 4 and unsubstituted or at least monosubstituted C 1 -C 10 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 10 -alkyl, C 3 -C 10 -cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 10 -heterocyclyl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, O and S, C 5 -C 10 -aryl and C 5 -C 10 -heteroaryl comprising at least one heteroatom selected from among N, O and S, where the substitutents are selected from the group consisting of: F, Cl, Br, OH, CN, NH 2 and C 1 -C 10 -alkyl; and M is iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium or platinum.