High molecular weight nitriles derived from microcrystalline wax oxidate acids

Claim 1

A HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT LIGHT COLORED NITRILE COMPOSITION COMPRISING NITRILES CONTAINING AT LEAST 18 CARBON ATOMS PREPARED FROM PURIFIED CARBOXY ACIDS OF AT LEAST 18 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE OBTAINED BY THE CONTROLLED OXIDATION OF MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX CONTAINING 34 TO 55 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE BY CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING AN EXCESS OF GASEOUS AMMONIA INTO THE PURIFIED CARBOXY ACIDS IN LIQUID PHASE IN A REACTION ZONE IN THE PRESENCE OF A SUBSTANTIAL EXCESS OF THE STOICHIOMETRIC AMOUNT OF WATER REQUIRED TO HYDROLYZE THE ESTERS CONTAINED IN THE PURIFIED CARBOXY ACIDS, HEATING AND STIRRING THE MIXTURE DURING AMMONIATION TO A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 90* TO 95* C., MAINTAINING THIS TEMPERATURE FROM ABOUT 45 TO 60 MINUTES, RAISING THE TEMPERATURE TO ABOUT 290* TO 310* C. AND REMOVING THE ADDED WATER NOT ABSORBED IN THE REACTION MASS AND THE WATER FORMED BY THE REACTION FROM THE REACTION ZONE IN THE FORM OF VAPOR.