Ammonia → Methyl 6-aminohexanoate

Thereafter, 2,200 g/hour of 9.86% strength by weight methanolic methyl 5-formylvalerate solution and 800 ml/hour (488 g/hour) of liquid ammonia were pumped through the reactor from below, while hydrogen was passed through simultaneously, at 80° C. and under 102 bar. The reaction mixture passed from the top of the reactor via a condenser into a separator, from which 2,596 g/hour of product mixture (regulated via the level control) and 207 l/hour of waste gas were removed. According to quantitative gas chromatographic analysis, the discharge of the mixture contained 7.57% of methyl 6-aminocaproate and 0.22% of caprolactam, corresponding to yields of 90.0% of methyl 6-aminocaproate and 3.3% of caprolactam, percentages being based on the completely converted methyl 5-formylvalerate.