Patent ID: 8242311

Claim:
A process for preparing 2,2-difluoroethylamine of formula (I), comprising: (a) catalytically hydrogenating difluoroacetonitrile of formula (II) to a difluoroethylamide of formula (III) where R 1 is H, C 1-12 -alkyl, C 3-8 -cycloalkyl, C 1-12 -haloalkyl, aryl, C 1-12 -alkyl-C 6-10 -aryl, in the presence of an organic acid of formula (IVa), of an acid chloride of formula (IVb) or an acid anhydride of formula (IVc), or a mixture thereof, where R 1 is as defined above; and (b) converting the difluoroethylamide of formula (III) to 2,2-difluoroethylamine by adding an acid which is suitable for cleaving the difluoroethylamide