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US 4,731,465 AGranted
Process for producing nitrilotriacetonitrile
AssigneeMonsanto Company
InventorsChung Y. Shen, Kent P. Lannert
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Abstract
A continuous process for preparing nitrilotriacetonitrile in which the reactants, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, and either ammonia or hexamethylenetetramine are reacted first in a mixing reactor, preferably a circulating loop reactor at from about 90.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C., then reacted in a plug flow tubular reactor at from about 95.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C., then after cooling the reaction mixture crystalline nitrilotriacetonitrile is recovered.
Claims12
A continuous process for producing nitrilotriacetonitrile, comprising:
- a. combining reactants, (1) hexamethylenetetramine or equivalent amounts of formaldehyde and ammonia or an ammonium salt, (2) formaldehyde, and (3) hydrogen cyanide with a mineral acid to form a reaction mixture;
- b. reacting said reaction mixture in a reactor in which the incoming reaction mixture is mixed with partially reacted reaction mixture, which reactor is maintained at about 90.degree. C. to 120.degree. C.;
- c. further reacting said reaction mixture in a plug-flow tubular reactor maintained at about 95.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C.;
- d. cooling said reaction mixture to form crystalline nitrilotriacetonitrile;
- and
- e. separating said crystalline nitrilotriacetonitrile from the cooled reaction mixture.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.