Abstract: When making an unsaturated amide by hydrolysis of an unsaturated nitrile in the presence of a catalyst such as Raney copper and an oxidizing agent such as copper nitrate, by-product formation is reduced by including a reagent selected from reducing agents and acids that are substantially non-oxidizing relative to the said oxidizing agent. The preferred reagents are acidic buffers, especially acetic acid and copper acetate. Washing with such a buffer a Raney catalyst or other catalyst that is to be used for catalyzing the hydrolysis of an unsaturated nitrile to an unsaturated amide reduces the temperature surge that otherwise occurs upon addition of the catalyst to the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Amide compounds are efficiently prepared directly from nitriles, amines and water, using a reaction catalyst. The invention also can applied to the manufacture of polyamides, thereby realizing a simplified and rationalized process for polyamide synthesis. The catalyst employable is at least one metallic compound selected from the group consisting of Ru- Rh-, Zn-, Ni-, Mo-, Cu-, Co-, Ti-, Cr-, Zr-, Os-, Rd-, Se-, Fe-, Pb-, Hg-, V-, Cd-, Ir- and Pt-compounds.

Abstract: A nitrile, such as acrylonitrile, is hydrated to the corresponding amide in the presence of a Raney copper catalyst that, before use in the reaction, is partially oxidized by contact with a controlled oxidizing system comprising oxygen, peroxide, iodate, chlorate, bromate or nitrate.

Abstract: A method of producing acrylamide from acrylonitrile in the presence of a metallic conversion catalyst which comprises contacting an oil-in-water emulsion of acrylonitrile, said water phase being the continuous phase and containing up to 7% acrylonitrile and said oil phase being the dispersed phase and containing the remaining acrylonitrile to be converted to acrylamide, whereby a substantial portion of the acrylonitrile is converted to acrylamide which remains in the aqueous phase of the oil-in-water emulsion, and then an additional low HLB emulsifier is added to invert the oil-in-water emulsion to a water-in-oil emulsion containing acrylamide.

Abstract: Hydrolysis of nitrile to amide by use of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide at 60.degree. to 95.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for hydrating a nitrile to the corresponding amide by contacting the nitrile in the presence of water with an essentially insoluble heterogeneous catalyst selected from the group consisting of unreduced and reduced cobalt oxide and unreduced and reduced cobalt-chromium oxide or mixture thereof.

Abstract: Aliphatic nitriles are converted to the corresponding amides by contacting the nitrile in the presence of water with a cupreous catalyst containing copper metal.