Preparation of nitriles

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A NITRILE OF THE FORMULA RCN, R BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALIPHATIC AND CYCLOALIPHATICHYDROCARBON RADICALS HAVING FROM 8 TO 22 CARBON ATOMS, FROM THE CORRESPONDING CARBOXYLIC ACID THEREOF, THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE CONTINUOUSLY CONTACTING THE ACID IN THE LIQUID PHASE IN A FIRST RECTION ZONE WITH AMMONIA FOR PERIOD AND UNDER CONDITIONS SUFFICIENT TO CONVENT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID ACID TO THE CORRESPONDING AMIDE; CONTINUOUSLY PASSING AMIDE IN THE LIQUID PHASE FROM SAID FIRST ZONE INTO SECOND REACTION ZONE WHERE IT IS CONTACTED WITH AMMONIA UNDER CONDITIONS AND FOR A PERIOD SUFFICIENT TO CONVERT AT LEAST 70% OF SAID AMIDE INTO THE CORRESPONDING NITRILE; CONTINUOUSLY VENTING FROM BOTH SAID REACTION ZONES SUBSTANTIALLY ONLY AMMONIA AND WATER OF REACTION ZONE; CONTINUOUSLY PASSING SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS LIQUID NITRILE, AMIDE AND UNCOVERTED ACID FROM SAID SECOND ZONE TO A VAPORIZATION ZONE AND THEN IN THE VAPOR STATE IN ADMIXTURE WITH AMMONIA TO ONE END OF A THIRD REACTION ZONE CONTAINING A DEHYDRATION CATALYST FOR A PERIOD AND UNDER CONDITIONS SUFFICIENT TO CONVERT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID ACID AND AMIDE TO NITRILE; CONTINOUSLY PASSING THE VAPORS FROM SAID THEIR ZONE TO A CONDENSING ZONE AND RECOVERING THEREFROM LIQUID NITRILE PRODUCT.