Stamicarbon B.v.

Petrus H Janssen

Cornelis G Van De Moesdijk

Roland E Van Der Stoel

Marcel A Bosma

Disclosed is a process for preparing a lactam which consists essentially in the reductive amination in the gas phase of an oxoalkane carboxylic acid having the formula ##STR1## or an alkyl ester thereof, wherein R is an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and n varies from 2 to 3, and wherein the reaction is carried out:

Process for the preparation of a lactam

A process is described for the catalytic gas phase reduction of 4-oxoalkanenitriles to form 2-alkylpyrroles in high yields and conversions.

Process for the preparation of a 2-alkylpyrrole

Indole, and/or methyl-substituted indoles are described as prepared from the corresponding 2-(cyanomethyl)cyclohexanone starting material through a catalytic reaction in the presence of hydrogen, using a metal, or metal compound, of Group VIII or Group Ib of the Periodic Table. The reaction is carried out at an elevated temperature at high conversion to yield the corresponding indole and (in some cases) tetra- or hexahydroindoles.

Process for the preparation of indole and skatole

The preparation of 5-alkyl-butyrolactones is described using C.sub.8 hydrocarbon levulinate esters, with side-chain alkyl substituents of up to 4 carbon atoms as starting material, with the reaction being conducted with hydrogen at a temperature of from 150.degree. to 325.degree. C., in the gas phase, and in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst composed of metals of Group VIII or Group Ib of the Periodic Table. The process provides extremely high conversion rates and lactone yields, the prolonged catalyst activity.

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Geleen, Netherlands

Petrus H Janssen