PROCESS FOR THE HYDROGENATION OF PERHALOGENATED TEREPHTHALONITRILES TO AMINES, 2,3,5,6-TETRAFLUOROXYLYLENE DIAMINE AND SALTS THEREOF

摘要

A process for the hydrogenation of perhalogenated terephthalonitriles to their corresponding amines under acid conditions. The process is suitably conducted under a pressure of 1 to 100 atmospheres and at a temperature of from 0 to 200 DEG C in the presence of (i) a hydrogenation catalyst containing 0.1 to 70% by weight of a metal in Group 8 of the Periodic Table, (ii) an inorganic acid in an amount at least chemically equivalent to the amine formed and (iii) a solvent which is inert to the reaction ingredients and which does not poison the catalyst; the concentration of nitrile in the total reaction mixture being from 3 to 25% by weight. Preferably water is present in such amount that the proportion of water to solvent is from 1:50 to 1:1 parts by weight. The diamines obtained by this process are useful intermediates in the preparation of pesticidal compounds. 2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoroxylylene diamine and its salts are novel compounds.