PURPOSE: To enable efficient synthesis of an acid amide by using a modified Raney copper catalyst obtained by the development of a ternary alloy consisting of copper, zinc and aluminum.

CONSTITUTION: An amide compound corresponding to the starting nitrile is synthesized by the catalytic hydration of a ≥2C aliphatic saturated nitrile, ≥3C aliphatic unsaturated nitrile or aromatic nitrile compound in the presence of a modified Raney-copper catalyst by a liquid-phase suspension bed process. The modified Raney-copper catalyst is the one produced by developing a ternary alloy consisting of copper, zinc and aluminum.