Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.

Hiroyuki Hirayama

Shuji Ebata

Hirofumi Higuchi

Koichi Kida

Yoshio Kawai

Hideo Ikarashi

Seiji Nagasawa

Takako Uchiyama

Toshio Kondo

A process for preparing an amide by hydrating a cyanohydrin with a denatured manganese dioxide catalyst. The catalyst is prepared by reacting an aqueous permanganate solution and an aqueous manganese (II) compound solution in an acidic aqueous solution at a temperature of 70.degree. C. to 150.degree. C.

Process for producing a denaturated manganese dioxide catalyst for the

A process for producing a denatured manganese dioxide for the hydration reaction of cyanohydrins comprising reacting an aqueous permanganate salt solution and an aqueous manganese (II) compound in an acidic aqueous solution at a temperature of 70.degree. C. to 130.degree. C. is disclosed. The manganese dioxide catalyst obtained by the process exhibits a high activity over a long period in the preparation of an amide by the hydration of the corresponding cyanohydrin.

Carboxylic acid esters, industrially important compounds, are obtained by reacting carboxylic acid amides and formic acid esters, or carboxylic acid amides, alcohols and carbon monoxide in the presence of metal alcoholate.

Process for producing carboxylic acid esters

Process for production of .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid amide of the general formula (A), comprising hydrating cyanhydrin of the general formula (B) by the use of a modified manganese dioxide catalyst containing one or more of zirconium, vanadium, and tin, and an alkali metal element. ##STR1## wherein all the symbols are as defined in the appended claims.

Process for production of .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid amide

Carboxylic acid esters, industrially important compounds, are efficiently obtained by reacting carboxylic acid amides with formic acid esters in the presence of an inorganic solid acid catalyst.

Process for production of carboxylic acid esters

Disclosed is a process for producing .alpha.-hydroxy-carboxylic acid amide represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined in the specification, by a catalytic hydration reaction of cyanohydrin represented by the formula (II): ##STR2## which comprises using a modified manganese dioxide containing one or more of an alkali metal element and an alkaline earth element in an amount of 0.05 to 0.5 based on the manganese element in terms of atomic ratio.

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Niigata, Japan

Hiroyuki Hirayama