PRODUCTION OF AMINOBENZONITRILE COMPOUND

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a high-purity aminobenzonitrile compound useful as a synthetic intermediate for a medicine, etc., in a high yield by reacting cyanobenzaldehyde with an alkali (hypo)halous acid, then reacting the reaction product with phenol and decomposing the obtained compound. SOLUTION: Cyanobenzamide or a compound of formula I (CONH2 exists at the meta- or para-position of cyano group; X is Cl or F; (m) is an integer of 0-4) is reacted with an alkali hypohalous acid and/or an alkali halous acid and then with a phenol derivative of formula II (R is a substituent group on the benzene ring; (n) is an integer of 0-5) to give a phenyl cyanophenylcarbamate of formula III (the group of formula IV exists at the meta- or para-position of cyano group), which is decomposed (e.g. hydrolyzed) to give aminobenzonitrile or a compound of formula V (the amino group exists at the meta- or para- position of cyano group) or its salt.