NOVELTY - Direct amination of hydrocarbons to amino hydrocarbons, comprises (a) reacting a reactant stream comprising at least one hydrocarbon and at least one aminating reagent to give a reaction mixture comprising at least one amino hydrocarbon and hydrogen in a reaction zone, and (b) electrochemically removing at least a portion of the hydrogen formed in the reaction from the reaction mixture using at least one gas-tight membrane electrode assembly which is in contact with the reaction zone on the retentate side and which has at least one selectively proton-conducting membrane.    USE - The process is useful for direct amination of hydrocarbons to amino hydrocarbons.    ADVANTAGE - The process: continuously removes the hydrogen formed in a chemical reaction (claimed) when compared to removal using conventional hydrogen-selective membranes, thus for the same separation performance, the membrane area required can be reduced, and thus allows the simultaneous generation of electrical energy; is cost effective; is conducted in one stage and continuously, and hence inconvenient and costly production shutdowns are avoided; does not need any gaseous oxidizing agent e.g. air, oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide or nitrous oxide, in the reaction mixture, as a result of which by-product formation can be avoided and costs can be saved; and allows improved shift in the thermodynamic equilibrium to the side of the products, and also an apparatus simplification.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Direct amination of hydrocarbons to amino hydrocarbons, comprises (a) reacting a reactant stream comprising at least one hydrocarbon and at least one aminating reagent to give a reaction mixture comprising at least one amino hydrocarbon and hydrogen in a reaction zone, and (b) electrochemically removing at least a portion of the hydrogen formed in the reaction from the reaction mixture using at least one gas-tight membrane electrode assembly which is in contact with the reaction zone on the retentate side and which has at least one selectively proton-conducting membrane, where: at least a portion of the hydrogen is oxidized over an anode catalyst to protons on the retentate side of the membrane; the protons, after passing through the membrane, are partly or fully reacted with an oxidizing agent over a cathode catalyst to give water on the permeate side; and the oxidizing agent originates from a stream which is contacted with the permeate side of the membrane. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) continuously removing the hydrogen formed in a chemical reaction, where: the hydrogen formed in a reaction in a reaction zone is at least partly electrochemically removed from the reaction zone using the gas-tight membrane electrode assembly; and the protons, after passing through the membrane, are partly or fully reacted with an oxidizing agent, preferably oxygen, over a cathode catalyst to give water with release of electrical energy on the permeate side; and    (2) removing hydrogen from a gas mixture comprising hydrogen and at least one organic compound, where the hydrogen present in the gas mixture is at least partly electrochemically removed using the gas-tight membrane electrode assembly.