Patent ID: 6835830
Filing Date: 2004-12-28
Classification: C07D

Abstract:
Process for producing a lactam by a reaction between water vapor and a linear or branched aliphatic aminonitrile having 3 to 12 carbon atoms in vapor phase and in presence of a catalyst, comprising providing water in vapor phase to an evaporator, and vaporizing the aminonitrile by feeding the aminonitrile in liquid phase to the evaporator, wherein the aminonitrile in liquid phase is contacted with the water vapor in the evaporator, and subsequently introducing the resulting mixture of aminonitrile and water vapor into a hydrolysis reactor in which the resulting mixture is contacted with the catalyst, and wherein the aminonitrile originates from a hydrogenation to a primary amine function of one of the two nitrile functions of a dinitrile selected from the group consisting of adiponitrile, methylglutaronitrile, ethylsuccinonitrile, dimethylsuccinonitrile, malononitrile, succinonitrile, glutaronitrile and dodecanedinitrile.