Preparation of aliphatic nitriles

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PREPARING NITRILES FROM ALIPHATIC ACIDS AND AMMONIA IN A TWO STEP PROCESS, STEP 1 COMPRISING REACTING HIGHER ALIPHATIC ACIDS AND AMMONIA IN LIQUID PHASE IN THE PRESENCE OF A DEHYDRATION CATALYST AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF SAID ACIDS AND BELOW THE BOILING POINT OF THE NITRILES TO FORM WATER AND A MIXTURE OF AMIDES, NITRILES, UNREACTED ACIDS AND AMMONIUM SALTS AND RECOVERING THE WATER OF REACTION SUBSTANTIALLY AS RAPIDLY AS IT IS FORMED, STEP 2 COMPRISING PASSING THE SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS LIQUID MIXTURE INTO A SECOND REACTOR AND COMPLETING THE CONVERSION OF SAID MIXTURE TO NITRILES UNDER VAPOR PHASE CONDITIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF EXCESS AMMONIA AND A DEHYDRATION CATALYST; SAID AMMONIA BEING INTRODUCED INTO THE VAPOR PHASE STEP OF THE PROCESS IN A RATIO OF FROM ABOUT 1.2 TO ABOUT 2.0 MOLES OF AMMONIA FOR EACH MOLE OF ACID AND BEING THEREAFTER CYCLED THROUGH THE LIQUID PHASE STEP OF THE PROCESS.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF PREPARING NITRILES FROM ALIPHATIC ACIDS AND AMMONIA IN A TWO STEP PROCESS, STEP 1 COMPRISING REACTING HIGHER ALIPHATIC ACIDS AND AMMONIA IN LIQUID PHASE IN THE PRESENCE OF A DEHYDRATION CATALYST AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF SAID ACIDS AND BELOW THE BOILING POINT OF THE NITRILES TO FORM WATER AND A MIXTURE OF AMIDES, NITRILES, UNREACTED ACIDS AND AMMONIUM SALTS AND RECOVERING THE WATER OF REACTION SUBSTANTIALLY AS RAPIDLY AS IT IS FORMED, STEP 2 COMPRISING PASSING THE SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS LIQUID MIXTURE INTO A SECOND REACTOR AND COMPLETING THE CONVERSION OF SAID MIXTURE TO NITRILES UNDER VAPOR PHASE CONDITIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF EXCESS AMMONIA AND A DEHYDRATION CATALYST; SAID AMMONIA BEING INTRODUCED INTO THE VAPOR PHASE STEP OF THE PROCESS IN A RATIO OF FROM ABOUT 1.2 TO ABOUT 2.0 MOLES OF AMMONIA FOR EACH MOLE OF ACID AND BEING THEREAFTER CYCLED THROUGH THE LIQUID PHASE STEP OF THE PROCESS.