Method for the production of caprolactam
AssigneeBASF SE
InventorsFrank Ohlbach, Andreas Ansmann, Rolf-Hartmuth Fischer, Johann-Peter Melder
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Abstract
A process is provided for the preparation of caprolactam from a compound of formula (I): NC—(CH2)5—CO—R (I) in which R is a carboxamide, carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid ester group, wherein a) a compound (I) or a mixture of such compounds, in the presence of ammonia and optionally a liquid diluent (VI), is hydrogenated with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst (II) to give a mixture (III), b) the hydrogen and the catalyst (II) are separated from the mixture (III) to give a mixture (IV), and c) the mixture (IV), optionally in the presence of a liquid diluent (VII), is converted to caprolactam in the presence of a catalyst (V).
Claims8
A process for the preparation of caprolactam from a compound of formula (I):
- NC—(CH2)4—CO—R (I)
- in which r is a carboxamide, carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid ester group,
- wherein
- a) a compound (I) or a mixture of such compounds, in the presence of ammonia and optionally a liquid diluent (VI), is hydrogenated with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst (II), wherein a metal selected from the group comprising fe, ni, co and ru, or mixtures thereof, is used as the catalytically active component of the catalyst (II), to give a mixture (III),
- b) the hydrogen and the catalyst (II) are separated from the mixture (III) to give a mixture (IV), and
- c) the mixture (IV), optionally in the presence of a liquid diluent (VII), is converted to caprolactam in the presence of a catalyst (V).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.