Α production of-aminonitrile

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED : To provide a method capable of producing an α-aminonitrile in a stably high yield in a reaction not only in an organic solvent but also in a water medium in a Strecker type reaction. SOLUTION : An α-aminonitrile of the formula (R and R are each a hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group) is produced by reacting an aldehyde of the formula R CHO with an amine of the formula R NH2 and tributyltin cyanide of the formula Bu3 SnCN in the presence of a rare earth Lewis acid catalyst.