Patent ID: 8344141

Claim:
A process for the preparation of triethylenediamine or of an alkyl-substituted derivative thereof by reacting at least one starting material which has a structural unit according to formula (I) where R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 , independently of one another, are hydrogen or an alkyl-group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and X is an oxygen or nitrogen atom, wherein the reaction is carried out over a zeolite catalyst which contains a zeolite material of the pentasil type comprising an alkali metal and alkaline earth metal content of not more than 150 ppm and a molar ratio of Si to Al of from 250 to 1500, wherein at least 90% of the primary particles of the zeolite material are spherical and at least 95% by weight of the spherical primary particles have a diameter of less than or equal to 1 μm.