Disclosed is a process for performing a chemical reaction selected from reductive amination and hydrogenation of a first functional group in an organic feed substrate, which feed substrate comprises at least one further functional group containing a halogen atom, wherein the halogen atom is selected from the list consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, and combinations thereof, in the presence of hydrogen and a heterogeneous catalyst comprising at least one metal from the list of Pd, Rh, and Ru, together with at least a second metal from the list consisting of Ag, Ni, Co, Sn, Cu and Au. The process is preferably applied for the reductive amination of 2-chloro- benzaldehyde to form 2-chloro-benzyldimethylamine, as an intermediate in the production of agrochemically active compounds and microbiocides of the methoximinophenylglyoxylic ester series. Further disclosed is a composition rich in 2-chloro-benzyldimethylamine, further comprising an amount of 2- chloro-benzyl alcohol and being low in chlorotoluene isomers.