Patent ID: 6348601
Filing Date: 2002-02-19
Classification: C07D

Abstract:
A process for preparing N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), which comprises preparing a mixture comprising monomethylamine, dimethylamine and trimethylamine and ammonia in a first process step by reacting ammonia with methanol at elevated temperature in the presence of an acid catalyst or a meal catalyst, separating off the ammonia, reacting the mixture comprising the methylamines with gamma-butyrolactone (&ggr;-BL), in a molar ratio of monomethylamine to &ggr;-BL of at least 1 in a second process step at elevated temperature and superatmospheric pressure, separating NMP and unreacted methylamines from the reaction product and returning unreacted methylamines to the first process step for reaction with methanol and ammonia.