A mixture of methylenedianiline isomers and polymethylenepolyaniline is produced at a controlled ratio of methylenedianiline isomers.
Aniline and
formaldehyde are reacted to produce N,N'-diphenylmethylene
diamine (aldolamine), which is then partially rearranged in the presence of a Lewis acid-modified clay catalyst into a mixture of aminobenzylaniline isomers and methylenedianiline isomers. Further rearrangement is performed in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst to convert remaining aminobenzylaniline isomers to methylenedianiline and polymethylenepolyaniline.