1. A method of producing a nitrile, the method comprising subjecting a primary
amide to a dehydration reaction in a supercritical fluid in the presence of an acid
5 catalyst.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said primary amide is a primary
amide comprising one or two primary amide groups.
10 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said primary amide is a
saturated alkylamide, an unsaturated alkylamide, or an amide comprising an aromatic ring and/or a heterocyclic ring.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said acid catalyst
15 is a solid acid catalyst.
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said supercritical
fluid is a supercritical fluid of one or more substances selected from the group
consisting of carbon dioxide, an alcohol compound, an ether compound and a
2 0 hydrocarbon compound.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said supercritical
fluid is a supercritical fluid of one or more substances selected from the group
consisting of carbon dioxide, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol,
2 5 2-butanol, isobutanol, tert-butanol, tert-amyl alcohol, diethyl ether, methyl-tert-butyl ether, diisopropyl ether, 1,2-dimethoxyethane, tetrahydrofuran, pentane, hexane and benzene.