Process for nitrosation of C-H-acidic compounds

A process for preparing an amine, comprising:

• contacting a nitrite salt comprising a cation and a nitrite ion with a protic acid in the presence of water and to produce nitrous acid and a salt comprising the cation and the conjugate base of the protic acid;
• nitrosating a compound of formula (I),
• X.sup.1 --CHR--X.sup.2 (I),
• wherein X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are each, independently, an electron-withdrawing group, and R is hydrogen or an organic radical,
• wherein the nitrosation reaction occurs in a homogenous liquid phase comprising the compound of formula (I), the nitrosation product of the compound of formula (I), water, at least a portion of the nitrite salt and at least a portion of the protic acid, and
• not less than 50% by weight of the salt comprising the cation and the conjugate base of the protic acid precipitates;
• and
• catalytically hydrogenating the nitrosation product of the compound of formula (I) to the corresponding amine.