A process for separating acrylonitrile from a solution containing acrylonitrile, water and impurities. Conventionally such a solution is fed to a drying column and then to a product column. The need for a drying column, by feeding the solution direct to a product column is eliminated. In an embodiment an overhead stream from a recovery column (118) is fed to an HCN column (126) for removal of HCN. The solution is then fed to the top a product column (150) which contains between 30 and 60 trays, a sidestream of purified acrylonitrile being removed through a line (159) located in the lower part of the column.