| abstract |
The invention relates to a process for producing pyrrolidone and N-alkyl pyrrolidones from saturated or unsaturated 1,4-dicarboxylic acids or their anhydrides, hydrogen, and a primary amine, characterized in that the dicarboxylic acid or its anhydride is allowed to react in an appropriate reactor with hydrogen or ammonia via a first catalyst bed and the unisolated intermediate product is subsequently reacted with the primary amine or ammonia directly via a second, downstream catalyst bed. |