Caprolactam

Caprolactam is an organic compound. It has the chemical formula C₆H₁₁NO. It is also known as ε-lactam. Caprolactam is used to make one of the main types of nylon, nylon 6, also called polycaprolactam.

Skeletal formula of caprolactam.

Production

Caprolactam is made from cyclohexanone in two steps. First, cyclohexanone reacts with hydroxylamine to make an oxime. The oxime is then treated with a strong acid, changing it into caprolactam. This reaction is called the Beckmann rearrangement.