Patent ID: 7709673

Claim:
A process for the continuous production of 3-pentenenitrile, comprising: (a) continuously introducing feed comprising hydrogen cyanide, 1,3-butadiene, and a catalyst precursor composition in a reaction zone, wherein the molar ratio of the hydrogen cyanide in the feed to the 1,3-butadiene in the feed is in the range of about 0.90:1.00 to about 1.04:1.00, and, wherein the catalyst precursor composition comprises a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite selected from a member of the group represented by Structures I and II: wherein R 1 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 5 hydrocarbyl, and R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C 1 to C 4 hydrocarbyl; (b) displacing a product mixture from the reaction zone by the feed which is continuously introduced into the reaction zone; and (c) maintaining a residence time in the reaction zone sufficient to convert about 95% or more of the hydrogen cyanide and to produce the product mixture, wherein the product mixture comprises 3-pentenenitrile and 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, and wherein the 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile concentration is maintained below about 15 weight percent of the total mass of the product mixture.