Patent ID: 7009081

Claim:
A method for converting an amino ether alcohol to an amino ether amine, the method comprising contacting a catalyst comprising at least one of zinc oxide or a zinc salt, and at least one of copper oxide or a copper salt, with a vapor phase mixture comprising the amino ether alcohol and an amine, wherein the amino ether alcohol has the formula NR 1 R 2 R 3 , wherein R 1 and R 2 each individually is selected from the group consisting of H, C1–C10 alkyl, a C6–C10 aryl, and a C6–C10 aralkyl R 3 is a C4–C10 alkyl group having within it an ether linkage and also containing at least one hydroxyl group, and the amine has the formula, NHR 4 R 5 , wherein R 4 and R 5 each individually is H, a C1–C10 alkyl, a C6–C10 aryl, or a C6–C10 aralkyl group, provided that no more than one of R 4 and R 5 is H, wherein the contacting is performed at a temperature ranging from 120° C. to 300° C. and a pressure ranging from 0 to 500 psig (101 to 3549 kPa).