# US 7,608,719 B2 · Process for the production of heteroaromatic nitriles improved catalyst therefor and a process for the production of said improved catalyst > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,719 B2 - Document ID: US7608719B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/489,073 - Filed: 2002-02-15 - Published: 2004-12-16 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2001-09-07 - Assignees: Jubilant Organosys Limited - Inventors: Pradeep K. Verma; Ashutosh Agarwal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608719B2 ## CPC - B01J 37/0221: {of particles} - B01J 23/002: {Mixed oxides other than spinels, e.g. perovskite} - B01J 23/22: Vanadium - B01J 23/26: Chromium - B01J 35/397: {Egg shell like} - B01J 37/0219: {the coating containing organic compounds} - B01J 37/038: {to form slurries or suspensions, e.g. a washcoat} - C07D 213/84: Nitriles - B01J 21/04: Alumina - B01J 35/612: {less than 10 m2/g} - B01J 2523/00: Constitutive chemical elements of heterogeneous catalysts - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C07D: HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS (macromolecular compounds C08) ## Abstract A process for preparation of heteroaromatic nitrile from the corresponding alkyl pyridine is disclosed. The process comprises contacting the alkyl pyridine with ammonia and an oxygen source in the presence of a catalyst comprising an active component comprising of oxide of vanadium and antimony and a promoter provided on a support. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for the preparation of cyanopyridines from the corresponding alkyl pyridine comprising contacting the alkyl pyridine with ammonia and an oxygen source in the presence of a catalyst comprising said catalyst comprising an active component comprising an oxide of vanadium and antimony and a promoter selected from one or more of chromium, molybdenum, cobalt and manganese oxides and any mixture thereof, wherein the molar ratio of vanadium:antimony:promoter is in the range of 1:0.1 to 0.9:0.1 to 0.5, said active component being supported on a low surface area catalyst support material consisting of alpha alumina with surface area less than 10 sq.m/gm, wherein the ratio of ammonia to oxygen source is in the range of 2 to 8:10 to 80, and wherein the catalyst performs without deviation in activity up to 1000 hours of continuous run. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said catalyst is provided in the form of a catalyst bed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the catalyst bed is at a temperature in the range of 300 to 390° C. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alkyl pyridine is contacted with the catalyst is in vapor form. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of the alkyl pyridine to ammonia is in the range of 1:1 to 15. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the molar ratio of the alkyl pyridine to ammonia is in the range of 1:2 to 8. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of the alkyl pyridine to air is in the range of 1:10 to 80. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A process as claimed in claim 7 wherein the molar ratio of the alkyl pyridine to air is in the range of 1:20 to 70. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alkyl pyridine selected is 2-methyl pyridine to obtain 2-cyanopyridine. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alkyl pyridine selected is 3-methyl pyridine to obtain 3-cyanopyridine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alkyl pyridine selected is 4-methyl pyridine to obtain 4-cyanopyridine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alkyl pyridine starting material comprises a mixture of picolines to obtain a mixture of nitriles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alkyl pyridine comprises lutidine to obtain mono or di nitrile. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said catalyst support material comprises alpha alumina with surface area less than 10 sq.m/gm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the molar ratio of the alkyl pyridine to ammonia is in the range of 1:2 to 6. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the molar ratio of the alkyl pyridine to air is in the range of 1:20 to 65. ### Claim 17 A process for the preparation of cyanopyridines from the corresponding alkyl pyridine comprising contacting the alkyl pyridine with ammonia and air in the presence of a catalyst comprising said catalyst comprising an active component comprising an oxide of vanadium and antimony and a promoter selected from one or more of chromium, molybdenum, cobalt and manganese oxides and any mixture thereof, wherein the molar ratio of vanadium:antimony:promoter is in the range of 1:0.1 to less than 1.0:0.1 to 0.5, said active component being supported on a low surface area catalyst support material consisting of alpha alumina with surface area less than 10 sq.m/gm, wherein the ratio of ammonia to air is in the range of 2 to 8:10 to 80, and wherein the catalyst performs without deviation in activity up to 1000 hours of continuous run.