Method for producing aromatic nitrile compound and method for producing carbonate ester

A method for producing a carbonate ester, which has:

• a first reaction that includes:
• a carbonate ester production reaction in which an alcohol is reacted with carbon dioxide in the presence of an aromatic nitrile compound to produce the carbonate ester and water, and a hydration reaction in which the aromatic nitrile compound is hydrated with the produced water to produce an aromatic amide compound;
• and
• a second reaction in which the aromatic amide compound is separated from the reaction system of the first reaction and then the aromatic amide compound is regenerated into an aromatic nitrile compound by means of a dehydration reaction for dehydrating the aromatic amide compound, the dehydration reaction comprising contacting the aromatic amide compound with a catalyst in a gas phase,
• wherein at least a part of the aromatic nitrile compound regenerated in the second reaction is used in the first reaction,
• wherein a first catalyst which is cerium oxide is used in the carbonate ester production reaction,
• wherein a second catalyst which comprises an alkali metal is used in the dehydration reaction and the second catalyst comprises an oxide of an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of K, Li, Na, Rb, and Cs, and
• wherein the time for bringing the aromatic amide compound into contact with the second catalyst in the contacting, is 0.001 sec or more and less than 10 sec.