USE OF AT LEAST ONE CARBOXYLIC ACID FOR INCREASING THE YIELD OF ACETONITRILE IN AMMOXIDATION OF CARBOXYLIC ACIDS TO A MIXTURE OF NITRILES

摘要

A process for increasing the yield of acetonitrile produced during the manufacture of acrylonitrile comprising introducing a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of propylene and propane, a carboxylic acid, ammonia and air into a reaction zone containing an ammoxidation catalyst, reacting the hydrocarbon, carboxylic acid, ammonia and oxygen over said catalyst at an elevated temperature to produce acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide and acetonitrile, and recovering the acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide and acetonitrile from the reactor.