| abstract |
Disclosed is a process for making an α, β-unsaturated mononitrile by the catalytic reaction of a paraffin containing 3-5 carbon atoms with molecular oxygen and ammonia by catalytic contact of the foregoing reactants in a reaction zone with a metal oxide catalyst composition that has 10-90 weight percent of a diluent/support and 90-10 weight percent of a catalyst containing the elements indicated by the empirical formula. nA a D d Bi c Fe f Mo₁₂O x nin the proportions indicated by the said formula. said diluent/support containing 10 to 100 weight percent Al₂O₃ and zero to 90 weight percent SiO₂ nwherein nA is one or more of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Tl B, W , Sn and La: nD is one or more of Cr, Sb, Pb, P, Cu, Ni, Co, Mn and Mg; na is zero to 10; nc is 0.1 to 10; nd is zero to 10; and nf is 0.2 to 10; and nwherein the reactants fed to the reaction zone contain a mole ratio of said paraffin:NH₃ in the range from 2 to 16 and a mole ratio of said paraffin to O₂ in the range from 1 to 10. |