PROCESS TO CONTINUOUSLY PREPARE AN AQUEOUS MIXTURE OF E-CAPROLACTAM AND E-CAPROLACTAM PRECURSORS

摘要

PROCESS FOR PREPARING AN AQUEOUS MIXTURE OF &Egr;-CAPROLACTAM AND 6-AMINOCAPROIC ACID AND/OR 6-AMINOCAPROAMIDE WHICH INVOLVES, AS THE REDUCTIVE AMINATION STEP, CONTACTING 5-FORMYLVALERIC ACID AND/OR AN ALKYL 5-FORMYLVALERATE IN WATER AS SOLVENT WITH HYDROGEN AND AN EXCESS OF AMMONIA IN THE PRESENCE OF A RUTHENIUM ON CARRIER, AS A CATALYST, WHEREIN THE CARRIER IS TITANIUM OXIDE, ZIRCONIUM OXIDE, GRAPHITE OR CARBON AND THE CATALYST ALSO CONTAINS AT LEAST ONE OF THE METALS OF GROUP 8-11, OR A COMPOUND OF THESE METALS. THE AQUEOUS MIXTURE CAN BE USED TO PREPARE &Egr;-CAPROLACTAM.