Patent ID: 7105662

Claim:
A process for the preparation of N-substituted 2,6-dialkylmorpholines of the formula I in which R 1 and R 2 , independently of one another, are hydrogen, alkyl or cycloalkyl, or R 1 and R 2 together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded are a 5- to 14-membered carbocycle, and R 3 and R 4 , independently of one another, are alkyl, or cycloalkyl, by reacting at least one carbonyl compound of the formula II in which R 1 and R 2 have the meanings given above, with at least one morpholine of the formula III in which R 3 and R 4 have the meanings given above, in the presence of hydrogen and at least one metal-containing catalyst, wherein the active component of the catalyst consists essentially of platinum group metals and is essentially free from silver.