Process for simultaneously preparing 6-aminocapronitrile and hexamethylene diamine

Abstract

A process for coproduction of 6-aminocapronitrile and hexamethylenediamine starting from a mixture comprising a phosphorus-containing compound and essentially adiponitrile and obtained by reaction of butadiene with hydrocyanic acid in the presence of a catalyst comprising a phosphorus-containing compound comprises (1) reducing the weight proportion of phosphorus-containing compound, calculated as phosphorus, in the mixture, (2) partially hydrogenating the resulting mixture in the presence of a catalyst to form an .alpha.,.omega.-aminonitrile, and (3) removing 6-aminocapronitrile and hexamethylenediamine from the mixture.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.