Process for producing saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid amide

Abstract

A process for producing a saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid amide, comprising reacting a saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid with ammonia to thereby obtain a saturated aliphatic ammonium carboxylate and subjecting the saturated aliphatic ammonium carboxylate to a dehydration reaction for obtaining a saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid amide, wherein the dehydration reaction of the saturated aliphatic ammonium carboxylate is conducted while supplying water to a reaction system in which the dehydration reaction is carried out. Preferably, water is continuously supplied to the reaction system so that the production of the saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid amide is carried out in a continuous manner and the amount of water present in a steady state ranges from 20 to 70 mol per 100 mol of a total of the saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid, the ammonia, the saturated aliphatic ammonium carboxylate, the saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid amide and the water. This process enables simplification of the production steps, ensures high operation efficiency, lowers production facility constructing and operating costs, reduces the amount of by-products and enables producing a high-purity carboxylic acid amide at a high selectivity, at a high yield and on an industrial scale.