The present invention discloses a metal-catalyzed process for hydration of nitrile under the influence of the ultrasonic cavitation effect. The present invention further discloses a catalyst of formula (I), wherein the catalyst is used for process for hydration of nitrile and process for preparation thereof.

A.sub.XB.sub.YC.sub.Z   Formula (I)

The present invention discloses a metal-catalyzed process for hydration of nitrile under the influence of the ultrasonic cavitation effect. The present invention further discloses a catalyst of formula (I), wherein the catalyst is used for process for hydration of nitrile and process for preparation thereof.

A.sub.XB.sub.YC.sub.Z   Formula (I)

The present invention provides a method for producing α-hydroxyisobutyric acid amide by hydration of acetone cyanohydrin under the presence of a catalyst composed mainly of manganese oxide using a reactor in which at least two reaction regions are connected in series, the method being characterized by comprising: a step (B) of cyclically supplying at least a portion of a reaction liquid withdrawn from at least one reaction region to a first reaction region (I) in the reactor; and a step (b1) of further cyclically supplying at least a portion of the reaction liquid withdrawn from at least one reaction region to at least one reaction region other than the first reaction region. The method is also characterized in that an oxidizing agent is supplied to at least one reaction region in the reactor.

The present invention provides a method for producing α-hydroxyisobutyric acid amide by hydration of acetone cyanohydrin under the presence of a catalyst composed mainly of manganese oxide using a reactor in which at least two reaction regions are connected in series, the method being characterized by comprising: a step (B) of cyclically supplying at least a portion of a reaction liquid withdrawn from at least one reaction region to a first reaction region (I) in the reactor; and a step (b1) of further cyclically supplying at least a portion of the reaction liquid withdrawn from at least one reaction region to at least one reaction region other than the first reaction region. The method is also characterized in that an oxidizing agent is supplied to at least one reaction region in the reactor.

A method of producing an N,N-disubstituted amide of the present invention is a method of reacting a nitrile with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the nitrile is a compound represented by R.sup.1CN (R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group having 10 or less carbon atoms or an aryl group having 10 or less carbon atoms), wherein the alcohol is a compound represented by R.sup.2OH (R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having 10 or less carbon atoms), wherein the catalyst is a metal salt represented by MXn (M represents a metal cation having an oxidation number of n, X represents a monovalent anion including a substituted sulfonyl group represented by —S(═O).sub.2—R.sup.3 (R.sup.3 represents a hydrocarbon group having 10 or less carbon atoms or a group in which some or all of hydrogen atoms in the hydrocarbon group are substituted with fluorine atoms), and n represents an integer of 1 to 4), a substituent bonded to a carbon atom in a carbonyl group of the N,N-disubstituted amide is R.sup.1, and two substituents bonded to nitrogen atoms in an amide group are both R.sup.2.

A method of producing an N,N-disubstituted amide of the present invention is a method of reacting a nitrile with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the nitrile is a compound represented by R.sup.1CN (R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group having 10 or less carbon atoms or an aryl group having 10 or less carbon atoms), wherein the alcohol is a compound represented by R.sup.2OH (R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having 10 or less carbon atoms), wherein the catalyst is a metal salt represented by MXn (M represents a metal cation having an oxidation number of n, X represents a monovalent anion including a substituted sulfonyl group represented by —S(═O).sub.2—R.sup.3 (R.sup.3 represents a hydrocarbon group having 10 or less carbon atoms or a group in which some or all of hydrogen atoms in the hydrocarbon group are substituted with fluorine atoms), and n represents an integer of 1 to 4), a substituent bonded to a carbon atom in a carbonyl group of the N,N-disubstituted amide is R.sup.1, and two substituents bonded to nitrogen atoms in an amide group are both R.sup.2.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of enantiomerically and diastereomerically enriched cyclobutane amines and amides by reacting (a) cyclopropylcarbonitrile to a cyclopropylcarbaldehyde, (b) further reacting to a cyclobutanone, or (d) further reacting to an enamide, 5 (c) further reacting to enantiomerically and diastereomerically enriched cyclobutane amines, or (d) further reacting to an enamide and (e) to an enantiomerically and diastereomerically enriched cyclobutylamide to obtain (f) an enantiomerically and diastereomerically enriched cyclobutane amine, and (g) further reacting to an enantiomerically and diastereomerically enriched cyclobutane amide.

There is provided a method for preparing homofarnesol (1), the method comprising the steps of: a) providing homofarnesylnitrile (2); b) reacting homofarnesylnitrile (2) to homofarnesic acid (3); and c) reacting homofarnesic acid (3) to homofarnesol (1),
wherein the configuration of the double bonds in the compounds 1, 2 and 3 is preserved.

The present invention provides a method for producing -hydroxyisobutyric acid amide by hydration of acetone cyanohydrin under the presence of a catalyst composed mainly of manganese oxide using a reactor in which at least two reaction regions are connected in series, the method being characterized by comprising: a step (B) of cyclically supplying at least a portion of a reaction liquid withdrawn from at least one reaction region to a first reaction region (I) in the reactor; and a step (b1) of further cyclically supplying at least a portion of the reaction liquid withdrawn from at least one reaction region to at least one reaction region other than the first reaction region. The method is also characterized in that an oxidizing agent is supplied to at least one reaction region in the reactor.

The present invention provides a method for producing -hydroxyisobutyric acid amide by hydration of acetone cyanohydrin under the presence of a catalyst composed mainly of manganese oxide using a reactor in which at least two reaction regions are connected in series, the method being characterized by comprising: a step (B) of cyclically supplying at least a portion of a reaction liquid withdrawn from at least one reaction region to a first reaction region (I) in the reactor; and a step (b1) of further cyclically supplying at least a portion of the reaction liquid withdrawn from at least one reaction region to at least one reaction region other than the first reaction region. The method is also characterized in that an oxidizing agent is supplied to at least one reaction region in the reactor.