Oxidation of unsaturated amines

A process for the production of an unsaturated nitrile which comprises reacting an unsaturated amine having the formula ##EQU5## or phenyl--CH.sub.2 NH.sub.2 wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 represent hydrogen or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl group with molecular oxygen in the presence of cuprous chloride, a nitrogen base that is not oxidized under the reaction conditions and a halide salt which is soluble in the nitrogen base and is selected from alkali metal halides, alkaline earth metal halides, quaternary ammonium halides, and phosphonium halides, the relative proportions of cuprous chloride and halide salt being from 1:10 to 10:1, at a temperature of from 0.degree. to 200.degree.C. and at atmospheric pressure or above.