PROCESS TO PREPARE .EPSILON.-CAPROLACTAM

摘要

Process to prepare .epsilon.-caprolactam by treating 6-aminocaproic acid, 6aminocaproate ester or 6-aminocaproamide or mixtures comprising at least two of these compounds in the presence of superheated steam in which a gaseous mixture comprising .epsilon.-caprolactam and steam is obtained, wherein the process is carried out in the absence of a catalysts at a temperature between 250 and 400 ~C and at a pressure of between 0.5 and 2 MPa. The invention also encompasses a process to prepare .epsilon.-caprolactam starting from 6aminocapronitrile by performing a hydrolysis and a subsequent step as described above.