Process for the production of hydrocyanic acid from carbon monoxide and ammonia

A process for producing HCN by contacting CO and NH.sub.3 with a catalyst comprising a noncarbonaceous, porous catalyst support, a Group VIII metal which comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co and Ru, wherein the metal is disposed on the pore surfaces of the support, and carbon, wherein the carbon is substantially concatenated and is randomly bonded to the Group VIII metal, the catalyst having from about 8 to about 30 percent metal loading and from about 5 to about 50 percent carbon loading.

A process for producing HCN by contacting CO and NH.sub.3 in a molar ratio of about 1:1 to about 3:1 with a particulate catalyst comprising a noncarbonaceous, porous catalyst support, said catalyst support having an average particle size of about 45 to about 90 microns and a pore volume of about 0.4 to about 3.0 cc/gm, the support being selected from the group consisting of SiO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, Al0.sub.3, ZrO.sub.2 and TiO.sub.2, said catalyst additionally comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co and Ru which is disposed on the pore surfaces of the support, and carbon which is substantially concatenated and randomly bonded to the metal, the catalyst having about 8 to 30 percent metal loading and about 5 to 50 percent carbon loading, said process being performed at a pressure of about 0 to about 200 psi and a temperature of about 350.degree. to about 600.degree. C.