Patent ID: 7084269

Claim:
A method for continuously producing caprolactam, comprising introducing an oxime as a reaction substrate, and at least one acid into continuously flowing high-temperature high-pressure water, raising the temperature of the oxime to put the oxime into a prescribed high-temperature high-pressure state within a short time, and subjecting the oxime to a rearrangement reaction to synthesize the lactam; wherein the temperature of the high-temperature high-pressure state is at least 375° C.; wherein the pressure of the high-temperature high-pressure state is at least 40 MPa; wherein the raising the temperature of the oxime occurs in less than or equal to 0.3 seconds; wherein the oxime has the formula (1) wherein n is 3 and R 1 is hydrogen or an alkyl group; and wherein the at least one acid is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and acetic acid.