Abstract: The invention relates to a process for recovering caprolactam from a mixture comprising caprolactam, water, light and heavy components, by subjecting the mixture to a first vacuum distillation resulting in a first bottom product comprising heavy components and caprolactam and in a fist overhead product comprising caprolactam, water, unsaturated lactams and light components; and subjecting at least part of the unsaturated lactams to a hydrogenation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process to separate butadiene dimers from a mixture comprising butadiene dimers and alkyl-3-pentenoate and/or isomers thereof wherein the butadiene dimers are separated from said mixture by distillation in the presence of an alcohol and in that the distillation is effected at a bottom temperature of between 80 and 200° C. Examples of frequent occurring butadiene dimers are 4-vinylcyclohexene and 1,3,7-octatriene. Examples of the alcohol are monohydroxy aliphatic alcohols.

Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous process for recovering caprolactam from aqueous caprolactam product, said aqueous caprolactam product comprising (i) caprolactam, (ii) impurities, and (iii) water, said process comprising: adding alkali hydroxide to the aqueous caprolactam product, in an amount of not more than 100 mmol alkali hydroxide per kg of caprolactam; reacting at least part of the added alkali hydroxide to form alkali amino caproate, to obtain a caproate-enriched caprolactam product; and distilling the caproate-enriched caprolactam product at reduced pressure.