Arylalkylamines (as the hydrochloride salt), e.g. tyramine hydrochloride, are prepared by hydrogenating substituted or unsubstituted aryl-.alpha.-oximinoalkyl ketones, e.g. p-hydroxyisonitroacetophenone, in either in an aqueous reaction medium comprising hydrochloric acid, essentially without the presence of a lower alkyl alcohol in said reaction medium, or in an aqueous reaction medium comprising water, hydrochloric acid, and a lower alkyl alcohol, wherein the alcohol comprises less than about 90% by volume of the reaction medium. A substituent on the aryl portion of the aryl-.alpha.-oximinoalkyl ketone must be on a position which activates the aromatic ring.