Patent ID: 6204407
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
A process for adjusting the relative amounts of hydrogen cyanide and acetonitrile produced during the manufacture of acrylonitrile comprising introducing a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of propane and propylene, ammonia, air and an alcohol mixture comprising methanol and a second alcohol comprising ethanol, propanol or mixtures thereof, in a reaction zone containing an ammoxidation catalyst, reacting the hydrocarbons, alcohols, ammonia, and oxygen over said catalyst at an elevated temperature to produce acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide, and acetonitrile, and recovering acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide, and acetonitrile from the reaction, where the weight ratio of methanol to second alcohol in the alcohol mixture is adjusted depending on the relative amounts of hydrogen cyanide and acetonitrile desired to be produced.