PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF ¹-CAPROLACTAM AND ¹-CAPROLACTAM PRECURSORS

摘要

Process for the preparation of .epsilon.-caprolactam and .epsilon.-caprolactam precursors, starting from the corresponding 5-formylvalerate ester, ammonia and hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, wherein in a first step 5-formylvalerate ester is reacted with ammonia under non-hydrogenating conditions, and in a second step the reaction product obtained in the first step is converted to .epsilon.-caprolactam and the .epsilon.-caprolactam precursor(s) under hydrogenating conditions in the presence of ammonia.