PRODUCTION OF BETA-HYDROXYLNITRILE DERIVATIVE

PURPOSE:To obtain the subject compound useful as an intermediate raw material for agricultural chemicals and drugs inexpensively and efficiently by reacting an alpha,beta-unsaturated nitrile compound with a carbonyl compound and phenylsilane using a cobalt complex. CONSTITUTION:An alpha,beta-unsaturated nitrile compound shown by formula I (R to R are H or 1-10C alkyl) is reacted with a carbonyl compound shown by formula II (R and R are H, 1-20C alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, etc.) and phenylsilane. In the operation, the reaction is carried out using a cobalt complex of beta- dicarbonyl compound shown by formula III (R , R , R and R are H, 1-10C alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, trifluoromethyl, etc.; R and R are 1-10C alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, etc.) as a catalyst in an inert gaseous atmosphere (e.g. nitrogen gas) under 0.1-50atm at -80-200 deg.C for 0.1-100 hours to give the objective substance shown by formula IV.