PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF EPSILON-CAPROLACTAM AND AMMONIUM SULPHATE CRYSTALS FROM A REACTION MIXTURE OF EPSILON-CAPROLACTAM AND SULPHURIC ACID

摘要

epsilon -CAPROLACTAM IS RECOVERED FROM A Beckmann rearrangement mixture of the lactam and aqueous sulfuric acid by simultaneously neutralizing the rearrangement mixture with ammonia at a pressure of 1-5 atmospheres and crystallizing out ammonium sulfate, the heat liberated by the neutralization reaction is removed from the system by evaporating a portion of the water from the solution. At the conditions employed hydrolysis of the lactam is substantially reduced if not entirely avoided.