Low pressure process for the manufacture of 2-(aminomethyl)-1-cyclopentylamine

1. A process for preparing 2-(aminomethyl)-1-cyclopentylamine, said process comprising:

(i) preparing an activated catalyst by combining a suitable solvent and a catalyst system in a vessel purged with an inert gas, pressurized with hydrogen to about 50-500 psi at a temperature of about 25° C. to about 50° C., wherein said catalyst system comprises either nickel and palladium, wherein said palladium is supported on carbon, or palladium-doped Raney type nickel

(ii) contacting said activated catalyst with 1-amino-2-cyano-1-cyclopentene, at least an equimolar portion of anhydrous ammonia, and a solution of an aqueous inorganic base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide;

(iii) pressurizing the vessel by raising the temperature of the vessel to a temperature of about 50° C. to about 150° C. and a pressure of hydrogen of about from 500 psi to about 1500 psi and maintaining said temperature and pressure for a time sufficient to obtain crude 2-(aminomethyl)-1-cyclopentylamine;

(iv) separating crude 2-(aminomethyl)-1-cyclopentylamine product; and

(v) optionally, purifying crude 2-(aminomethyl)-1-cyclopentylamine to obtain purer 2-(aminomethyl)-1-cyclopentylamine.

2. The process of 1 wherein said 1-amino-2-cyano-1-cyclopentene of step (ii) is obtained by contacting adiponitrile with a molar equivalent amount of a sterically hindered based in a non-polar, aromatic solvent to produce 1-amino-2-cyano-1-cyclopentene; and isolating the 1-amino-2-cyano-1-cyclopentene product of step.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the 1-amino-2-cyano-1-cyclopentene of step (ii) is dissolved in dioxane/water solvent.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said process is run in a batch mode and wherein said process further comprises, after step (i) and before step (ii) reducing the temperature and pressure to ambient conditions.

5. The process according to claims 1 or 3 wherein the 2-(aminomethyl)-1-cyclopentylamine is purified by distillation.

6. The process of claims 1 or 3 wherein said suitable solvent is water, an aprotic polar organic solvent, a combination of aprotic polar organic solvents, or a combination of aprotic polar organic solvent and water.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said suitable solvent is a dioxane/water solution.