Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited

Tomokazu Nakamura

Masami Fukao

Masaru Kitamura

Hideto Tojima

Hiroshi Kajikuri

Tatsumi Nuno

Kan Takamine

A compound of the following formula (I) or (II) (in the formula (I), n represents an integer of 0 to 2) (in the formula (II), m represents an integer of 0 to 2).

Reaction product of resorcin and methyl ethyl ketone

The present invention provides a method for producing &egr;-caprolactam which comprises the step of treating, with water, a reaction product containing 1-aza-2-alkoxy-1-cycloheptene, which is obtained by gas phase Beckmann rearrangement reaction of cyclohexanone oxime using a solid catalyst in the presence of alcohol, to eliminate the 1-aza-2-alkoxy-1-cycloheptene. The resulting &egr;-caprolactam usually has a 1-aza-2-alkoxy-1-cycloheptene content of 100 ppm or less, preferably 25 ppm or less, more preferably 10 ppm or less and, therefore, has low free basicity and good qualities.

Process for producing &egr;-caprolactam

The invention provides a process for producing high quality .epsilon.-caprolactam which comprises allowing crude .epsilon.-caprolactam obtained by gas phase Beckmann rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime to contact with hydrogen at 100.degree.-200.degree. C. in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst.

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Toyonaka, Japan

Tomokazu Nakamura