BigPatents India

. A process for preparing 6-aminocapronitrile or 6- aminocapronitrile/hexarnethylenediamine mixtures, which comprises a) reacting at least one pentenenitrile selected from the group consisting of 2- pentenenitrile, 3-pentenenitrile and 4-pentenenitrile with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst containing at least one element of subgroup eight as active component to obtain a hydroformylation effluent I, b) optionally removing carbon monoxide, hydrogen and the catalyst from the hydroformylation effluent I to obtain a hydroformylation effluent II, c) removing 5-formylvaleronitrile from said hydroformylation effluent lor II, d) reacting the removed 5-formylvaleronitrile with ammonia and hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst selected from the group consisting of rhenium, copper and compounds thereof, and also metals and metal compounds of subgroup eight to obtain a hydrogenation effluent, and e) isolating 6-arninocapronitrile with or without hexarnethylenediamine from the hydrogenation effluent. 2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein excess ammonia, hydrogen and optionally the hydrogenation catalyst are removed prior to the isolation of 6- arninocapronitrile with or without hexarnethylenediarnine in step e).