Patent ID: 8158826

Claim:
A continuous process for the production of mono- or dicarboxylic acid amides, comprising (a) introducing a mono- or dicarboxylic acid or mixture of acids, and a first stream of ammonia or gaseous alkylamine into a first reactor (R 1 ), said reactor being in fluid communication with a first distillation column (C 1 ); (b) reacting said acid or mixture of acids in said first reactor with said ammonia or gaseous alkyl amine to form a pre-mixture comprising amide reaction product, unreacted acid and water of condensation, wherein at least a portion of said water of condensation is substantially continuously removed via said first distillation column; (c) transferring at least a portion of said pre-mixture and a second stream of ammonia or gaseous alkylamine into a second reactor (R 2 ), said reactor being in fluid communication with a second distillation column (C 2 ); (d) converting in said second reactor substantially all of said unreacted mono- or dicarboxylic acid to the corresponding amide reaction product; (e) removing said amide reaction product from said second reactor; and (f) recycling unreacted ammonia or gaseous alkyl amine from said second reactor to said first reactor.