Process for preparing {60 -chloro-{68 -caprolactam

摘要

A process is described for preparing alpha -chloro- epsilon -caprolactam, an intermediate for the synthesis of L-lysine, comprising reacting an N-substituted - alpha -chloro- epsilon -caprolactam, wherein the N-substituent is an organic radical selected from the group consisting of arylsulfonyl, aroyl and alkanoyl radicals, with epsilon -caprolactam at a temperature within the range of about 50 DEG to about 250 DEG C to form alpha -chloro- epsilon -caprolactam and an N-substituted- epsilon -caprolactam. A continuous process is also described for the production of alpha -chloro- epsilon -caprolactam further comprising the chlorination of N-substituted- epsilon -caprolactam to produce N-substituted- alpha -chloro- epsilon -caprolactam.