PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF É - CAPROLACTAM

摘要

PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF -CAPROLACTAM STARTING FROM AN ALDEHYDE COMPOUND COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MEMBER FROM AMONG 5-FORMYLVALERIC ACID, ESTER OR AMIDE IN WHICH THE ALDEHYDE COMPOUND IS ALLOWED TO REACT IN THE PRESENCE OF AMMONIA AND HYDROGEN AND A SUBSEQUENT CYCLIZATION OF THE REACTION PRODUCTS THUS FORMED (-CAPROLACTAM-PRECURSORS) TO -CAPROLACTAM IS PERFORMED IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER, INVOLVED THE COMBINATION OF STEPS (A) CONTACTING THE 5-FORMYLVALERIC ACID, ESTER OR AMIDE WITH AMMONIA AND WATER UNDER NONHYDROGENATION CONDITIONS, (A) CONTACTING THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF STEP (A) WITH HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF AMMONIA UNDER HYDROGENATION CONDITIONS, WHEREIN THE WATER CONTENT IS GREATER THAN 10 WT. %, (B) HEATING THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF STEP (B) AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 200AND 350°C. IN ORDER TO CONVERT THE REACTION PRODUCTS OF STEP (B) TO -CAPROLACTAM.