Process for producing aromatic nitrile compound

A process for producing an aromatic nitrile compound represented by the following general formula (3):

• [wherein ring A is an aromatic hetero-cycle having at least one hetero-atom or a phenyl ring;
• n is an integer of 1 to 9;
• R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, a hydroxyalkyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group, a haloalkyl group, a carboxyl group or a metal salt thereof, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a halogen atom, a nitro group, an amino group, an alkylamino group, a dialkylamino group, an alkylcarbonylamino group, a cyano group, a formyl group, an alkylcarbonyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group;
• q is an integer of 1 to 9 with a proviso that (q-n) is zero or a positive integer;
• when (q-n) is 2 or more, a plurality of Rs may be the same or different;
• two Rs may be bonded to each other to form a ring], characterized in that one of an aromatic hydroxymethyl compound, an aromatic alkoxymethyl compound and an aromatic aldehyde compound, all represented by the following general formula (1):
• (wherein X is a hydroxymethyl group, an alkoxymethyl group or a formyl group;
• n, R and q have the same definitions as given above), or a mixture thereof is reacted with an oxidized bromine compound represented by the general formula (2)
• MBrOm (2)
• (wherein M is a hydrogen atom or a metal atom, and m is an integer of 1 to 3) in the presence of an acid catalyst and either ammonia or an ammonium salt.