Process for hydrogenating dinitriles in aminonitriles

US6680403B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY · US

Inventors

• Alex Sergey Ionkin · Kennett Square, US
• Stanislaw B. Ziemecki · Wilmington, US
• Mark Jay Harper · Murrysville, US
• Theodore A. Koch · Wilmington, US
• Henry Edward Bryndza · Avondale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 25, 2001
• Grant date: Jan 20, 2004
• Expiry date: Oct 25, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B01J2531/847
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Provided is a selective hydrogenation process for producing aminonitriles by contacting the corresponding dinitriles with a hydrogen-containing fluid in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, a solvent and an additive for improving the yield of and/or selectivity to the aminonitrile. The additive comprises a carbon monoxide; a tetraalkylammonium hydroxide compound; a tetraalkylphosphonium hydroxide compound; a multi-centered metal carbonyl cluster; an organic isonitrile; a cyanide compound having at least one cyano group bound to other than a carbon atom; and afluoride compound.