We use the same tomcat version and HttpSessionBindingListener works fine.

i.e.:
public void valueBound(HttpSessionBindingEvent event) {
System.out.println("instance of "+eacm_class+" bound to HttpSession.");
}

public void valueUnbound(HttpSessionBindingEvent event) {
try {
di.remove(); //remove the stateful session bean
} catch (Exception ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}
System.out.println("instance of "+eacm_class+" unbound from HttpSession.");
}

Have You add Your controler class with
session.addAttribute("a controler", controler)
as a session attribute?