Process for producing nitrile compound and catalyst used therefor

There are disclosed a process for producing a nitrile compound which comprises catalytically reacting an alkyl group-substituted aromatic compound or an alkyl group-substituted heterocyclic compound with a mixed gas containing ammonia and oxygen in the presence of +E,crc 1+EE a catalyst comprising a vanadium oxide, a chromium oxide, a boron oxide, a molybdenum oxide, and an oxide of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal or +E,crc 2+EE a catalyst comprising a vanadium oxide, a chromium oxide, a boron oxide, an alkali metal oxide, and a heteropolyacid. According to the above process and by virtue of the specific catalyst, it is made possible to produce a nitrile compound having an aromatic ring or a heterocyclic ring in an extremely advantageous manner, that is, in high yield at high selectivity to the objective product.