Process for hydrolysing nitriles

Abstract From the Canadian patent

When making an unsaturated amide by hydrolysis of an unsaturated nitrile in the presence of a catalyst such as Raney copper and an oxidising agent such as copper nitrate, by-product formation is reduced by including a reagent selected from reducing agents and acids that are substantially non-oxidising relative to the said oxidising agent. The preferred reagents are acidic buffers, especially acetic acid and copper acetate. Washing with such a buffer a Raney catalyst or other catalyst that is to be used for catalysing the hydrolysis of an unsaturated nitrile to an unsaturated amide reduces the temperature surge that otherwise occurs upon addition of the catalyst to the reaction mixture.