Catalysts and their use in the hydrolysis of nitriles
AssigneeAllied Colloids Limited
InventorsGerald P. Benn, David Farrar, Seraj A. M. Karolia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
When making an a amide by hydrolysis of a nitrile in an aqueous medium containing a Raney copper catalyst, the yield of amide can be increased and the yield of impurities can be decreased by including vanadium metal in the catalyst. The vanadium may be present as Raney vanadium often as an alloy in the Raney copper.
Claims13
In the process of making an amide of the formula RCONH.sub.2 where R is an olefinic hydrocarbon group of 2 to 10 carbon atoms by hydrolysis at 20.degree. to 150.degree. C. of the corresponding nitrile RCN in an aqueous medium containing a metal catalyst consisting essentially of black copper metal, the improvement which comprises the metal catalyst also containing vanadium metal in an amount of 0.01 to 10% by weight based on the combined weight of black copper and vanadium and the process being conducted in the substantial absence of dissolved vanadium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.