A process for preparing an N-alkyllactam, comprising the steps of: (a) reacting a lactam with an alkali metal alkoxide at 130.degree.-170.degree. C. and removing the alcohol formed by distillation; (b) reacting the product from step (a), if desired in a mixture with the product from step (e), with an alkyl halide in a solvent which is (i) an ethylene glycol dialkyl ether of the formula R--O--(CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O).sub.m R, where R in C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl and m is 1-8, (ii) the N-alkyllactam to be prepared or (iii) a mixture of (i) and (ii), to obtain crude N-alkylactam or an alkali metal salt; (c) separating the alkali metal salt from the crude N-alkylactam; (d) subjecting the N-alkyllactam crude product to high-purity distillation after addition of a sufficient amount of alkali metal alkoxide to convert any unreacted lactam to a salt; and (e) recycling the bottom product of the distillation in step (d) in step (e) into step (b), is environmentally friendly and affords the desired N-alkyllactam in high yield and high purity.
一种制备N-烷基内酰胺的方法,包括以下步骤:(a)在130℃-170℃下将内酰胺与碱
金属醇盐反应,并通过蒸馏去除生成的醇;(b)将步骤(a)的产物(如果需要与步骤(e)的产物混合)与烷基卤代物在溶剂中反应,所述溶剂为(i)具有以下式子的
乙二醇双烷基醚R-O-(
CH2- -O)mR,其中R为C1-C4烷基,m为1-8,(ii)待制备的N-烷基内酰胺,或(iii) (i)和(ii)的混合物,以获得粗N-烷基内酰胺或碱
金属盐;(c)将碱
金属盐与粗N-烷基内酰胺分离;(d)在加入足够量的碱
金属醇盐将未反应的内酰胺转化为盐之后,将N-烷基内酰胺粗产品经高纯度蒸馏处理;(e)将蒸馏步骤(d)的底部产物回收到步骤(b)中,该方法环保且产率高,纯度高,能够得到所需的N-烷基内酰胺。