Patent ID: 6906228

Claim:
A process for preparing alcohols by catalytic hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds over a catalyst comprising rhenium and platinum on nonoxidatively pretreated activated carbon, which has not been oxidatively pretreated, wherein rhenium (calculated as metal) is used in a weight ratio to the activated carbon of from 0.0001 to 0.5, platinum (calculated as metal) in a weight ratio to the activated carbon of from 0.0001 to 0.5 and, optionally, at least one further metal selected from among Zn, Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Fe, Ru, Mn, Cr, Mo, W and V in a weight ratio to the activated carbon of from 0 to 0.25, wherein the activated carbon has been nonoxidatively pretreated with water vapor, nonooxidizing mineral acids or nonoxidizing organic acids or bases and the hydrogenation is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 80 to 140° C.