The present invention relates to a process for producing 2-propionylalkanonitriles of the formula (I) wherein R is C4-C16-alkyl, in particular C6-C10-alkyl, especially n-octyl. The present invention relates in particular to the production of 2-propionyldecanonitrile, i.e. to a compound of formula (I), wherein R is n-octyl. The process comprises reacting an alkanonitrile of formula (II) with an C1-C4-alkylpropionate of the formula (III) wherein R' is C1-C4- alkyl, in particular methyl or ethyl, which process is characterized in that the reaction is carried out in a reaction vessel in the presence of 1.0 to 2.0 mol, in particular 1.1 to 1.8 mol, especially from 1.2 to 1.6 mol of potassium methoxide, based on 1 mol of the alkanonitrile of formula (II), wherein at least a portion of the low-boiling compounds contained in the reaction mix- ture is distilled off during or after the reaction of the alkanonitrile of the formula (II) and the C1-C4-alkyl propionate of the formula (III).
本发明涉及一种生产式(I)中R为C4-C16烷基,特别是C6-C10烷基,尤其是
正辛基的2-丙酰基烷酰腈的方法。本发明特别涉及生产2-丙酰基
癸腈,即式(I)中R为
正辛基的化合物的方法。该方法包括将式(II)的烷基腈与式(III)的C1-C4烷基
丙酸酯反应,其中R'为C1-C4烷基,特别是甲基或乙基,其特征在于在反应容器中存在1.0至2.0摩尔,特别是1.1至1.8摩尔,尤其是1.2至1.6摩尔的甲氧基
钾,基于1摩尔的式(II)的烷基腈,其中在式(II)的烷基腈和式(III)的C1-C4烷基
丙酸酯的反应期间或之后,至少有部分低沸点化合物在反应混合物中蒸馏掉。