Manufacture of 5-cyanovaleric acid and its esters

A process for the manufacture of 5-cyanovaleric acid and its esters by reaction of alkenyl-nitriles with carbon monoxide and hydroxyl-containing compounds at elevated temperature and elevated pressure in the presence of metal carbonyls and basic compounds, said process being carried out by effecting the reaction without adding hydrogen, wherein a pentenonitrile of the formula ##STR4## is reacted with carbon monoxide and a compound, containing a hydroxyl group, of the formula

• R.sup.2 -- OH II
• where R.sup.2 is alkyl of 1 to 12 carbon atoms which may be substituted by 1 or 2 hydroxyl groups, cycloalkyl of 5 to 7 carbon atoms, aralkyl of 7 to 12 carbon atoms, phenyl or hydrogen, the above radicals may be further substituted by alkyl or alkoxy each of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or hydroxy, at a temperature of from 140.degree. to 300.degree. C and a pressure of from 100 to 700 bars, in the presence of pure carbonyls and/or carbonyls of which the carbon monoxide is partially replaced by neutral or charged ligands and/or carbonyl hydrides of iridium, iron, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium and/or cobalt and basic heterocyclic compounds, said basic heterocyclic compound being a 5-membered or 6-membered nitrogen-containing ring which is unsubstituted or substituted by alkyl or alkoxy each of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or hydroxyl, to each of which rings one or 2 aromatic nuclei, which may be substituted by the above substituents, may be fused.