Atlantic Richfield Company

The Halcon Sd Group, Inc.

Arnold J Shapiro

Sargis Khoobiar

Unsaturated nitriles, particularly acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile, are produced in a process which integrates dehydrogenation of an alkane, particularly propane or isobutane, to the corresponding olefin, followed by ammoxidation of the olefin in the dehydrogenation reactor effluent to the corresponding nitrile. After recovery of the nitrile product, the residual gases are processed to remove hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon oxides, after which the gases are recycled to the dehydrogenation reactor. By operating with relatively low conversion of olefin to nitrile in each pass, the overall efficiency of the process is improved despite the need to recirculate substantial amounts of unreacted hydrocarbons.

Process for preparing unsaturated nitriles from alkanes

Unsaturated nitriles, particularly acrylonitrile, are produced in a process which integrates dehydrogenation of an alkane, particularly propane, to the corresponding olefin, followed by ammoxidation of the olefin in the dehydrogenation reactor effluent to the corresponding nitrile. After recovery of the nitrile product, the residual gases are processed to remove hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon oxides, after which the gases are recycled to the dehydrogenation reactor. By operating with relatively low conversion of olefin to nitrile in each pass, the overall efficiency of the process is improved despite the need to recirculate substantial amounts of unreacted hydrocarbons.

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Bronx, NY, United States of America

Arnold J Shapiro