Abstract: A high silica content zeolite-based catalyst for use in a reaction which uses a feedstock containing an aromatic hydrocarbon or which gives a product containing an aromatic hydrocarbon, which catalyst satisfies the following requirements (1), (2), (3) and (4): (1) the zeolite constituting a zeolite-based catalyst has an SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio of from 20 to 200; (2) the zeolite constituting a zeolite-based catalyst has a primary particle diameter of from 0.3 to 3 &mgr;m; (3) when a zeolite-based catalyst is converted into H type, the H type zeolite-based catalyst has a ratio of the number of surface acid sites to the total number of acid sites is from 0.03 to 0.15; and (4) a zeolite-based catalyst exhibits a pyridine-desorbed amount (B) as measured at a temperature of from 500° C. to 900° C. by a hot desorption method when converted into H type after being subjected to a steam treatment at an H2O partial pressure of 0.8 atm and a temperature of 650° C.

Abstract: A method for producing adiponitrile through the electrohydrodimerization of acrylonitrile by electrolyzing an emulsion comprised of an aqueous phase and an organic phase in at least one undivided cell having a cathode of lead or a lead alloy, in which an ethyltributylammonium salt as a quaternary ammonium salt is included in the aqueous phase in a concentration of from 0.02 to 0.08 mol/liter. The method of the present invention is remarkably improved with respect to the prevention of the corrosion of the cathode.