Patent ID: 7528284

Claim:
A process for preparing ortho-, meta- or para-xylylenediamine, comprising the steps of: ammoxidizing ortho-, meta- or para-xylene to o-phthalonitrile iso- or terephthalonitrile and hydrogenating the phthalonitrile, which comprises contacting the vaporous product of the ammoxidation stage directly with a liquid organic solvent, which has a lower boiling point than the phthalonitrile, or with molten phthalonitrile (quench), removing components having a boiling point lower than phthalonitrile (low boilers) from the resulting quench solution or suspension or phthalonitrile melt, before the hydrogenation of the phthalonitrile, not removing any products having a boiling point higher than phthalonitrile (high boilers) and carrying out the hydrogenation in the absence of an organic solvent.