Process for removing hydrogen cyanide from ethanedinitrile

A process for removing hydrogen cyanide from ethanedinitrile by contacting hydrogen cyanide-containing ethanedinitrile with an organic reagent, characterized in that hydrogen cyanide enters into a covalent bond with the organic reagent, and that the organic reagent comprises one or more compounds of the general formula

• wherein
• X is an oxo group or an imino group;
• R1 is an aryl group, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, hydrogen, a carboxy group, a carboxylate group or a formyl group, and
• R2 is hydrogen, an aryl group or a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, with the proviso that R1 and R2 are not both hydrogen;
• or
• R1 together with R2 and the carbon atom between them form a five- to seven- membered carbocyclic ring which may optionally contain one or more double bonds.