Patent ID: 6392048
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: B01J,C07C,C07D

Abstract:
In a process for preparing a heterocyclic nitrile comprising a member selected from the group consisting of cyanopyridine, cyanopyrazine, cyanoquinoline, cyanothiophene, cyanopiperidine, and a mixture thereof, the process comprising ammoxidating a starting cyclic compound comprising a corresponding N-containing or S-containing heterocyclic compound selected from the group consisting of pyridine, pyrazine, quinoline, thiophene and piperidine substituted by a member selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, formyl, acetyl, hydroxymethyl, hydroxyethyl, hydroxyisopropyl, methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl, propoxycarbonyl and isopropoxycarbonyl, in a reaction zone of a fluidized bed reactor in the presence of a metal oxide catalyst containing vanadium and/or molybdenum in a fluidized bed, the improvement which comprises forming the fluidized bed by supplying an oxygen-containing gas through an oxygen-containing gas inlet provided at the bottom of the fluidized bed reactor, and by supplying the starting cyclic compound and ammonia at a level higher than the oxygen-containing gas inlet so that the ratio of the amount of catalyst (Wb) fluidized at a level higher than an inlet of the starting cyclic compound to the amount of catalyst (Wa) fluidized at a level higher than the oxygen-containing gas inlet in the reaction zone is in the range of Wb/Wa of 0.05 to 0.9 by weight, and conducting the ammoxidation reaction for more than 10 hours.