CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF 3-HYDROXY PROPIONITRILE

摘要

A fully continuous process for the manufacture of 3-hydroxypropionitrile, which process comprises (a) an addition reaction where acrylonitrile and water are reacted in the presence of a weak base to form a reaction mixture of 3-hydroxypropionitrile, bis(cyanoethyl)ether and unreacted acrylonitrile, which mixture is continuously neutralised during the transfer to the second process step; and (b) a reactive distillation where the bis(cyanoethyl)ether contained in the reaction mixture is fragmented into 3-hydroxypropionitrile and acrylonitrile and the 3-hydroxypropionitrile is subsequently separated and isolated.