Patent ID: 7973174

Claim:
A process for making 3-aminopentanenitrile, comprising (a) contacting (i) a crude 2-pentenenitrile (“crude 2PN”) that may include 2-pentenenitrile in combination with one or more of 2-methyl-2-butenenitrile and 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, with (ii) an ammonia-containing fluid, and (iii) water, using a molar excess of ammonia with respect to 2-pentenenitrile content of crude 2PN in the range of 10% to 20%, to produce a reaction mixture, wherein the 2-penetenenitrile is cis-2-penetenenitrile, trans-2-penetenenitrile, or a mixture of cis-2-penetenenitrile and trans-2-penetenenitrile, and the ammonia-containing fluid comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of ammonia, aqueous ammonia, and ammonium hydroxide, and (b) maintaining the concentration of water in the reaction mixture in the range of 15 wt % to 60 wt %, based on the total weight of the reaction mixture.