PRODUCTION OF AMINOMETHYLPYRIDINE COMPOUND

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject compound useful as an important intermediate for medicines, etc., in high yield with suppressing formation of by-products, by using a manganese-containing Raney catalyst in reducing a cyanopyridine compound with hydrogen in the presence of ammonia. SOLUTION: A cyanopyridine compound of formula I (X is H or a halogen) is reduced with a hydrogen gas usually in the presence of 5-60wt.% of NH3 by using generally >=1wt.% of a manganese-containing Raney catalyst to produce aminomethylpyridine of formula II. In the reaction, preferably a solvent such as methanol of 1-15 times as much as the compound of formula I is used, the Mn content of the Raney catalyst is 2-50wt.% and the amount of the Raney catalyst used is 3-50wt.%. The reaction temperature is 0-200 deg.C, preferably 20-100 deg.C, the reaction pressure is common, to be concrete, 0-50kg/cm<2> G, preferably 1-30kg/cm<2> G. After the reaction, the catalyst is separated and the compound of formula II is recovered by distillation.