Process for the manufacture of nitriles

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF A CYANOPYRIDINE FROM THE CORRESPONDING PICOLINE WHEREIN A REACTION MIXTURE OF THE PICOLINE IN THE VAPOR PHASE WITH AMMONIA AND MOLECULAR OXYGEN IS PASSED AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 260*C. TO ABOUT 380*C. OVER A VANDADIUM OXIDE CATALYST SUPPORTED ON ALUMINA, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PREPARING THE CATALYST BY HEATING ACTIVATED ALUMINA TO A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM 1000* TO 1450*C., COOLING THE THUS THERMALLY PRE-TREATED ACTIVATED ALUMINA, CHARGING THE COOLED ACTIVATED ALUMINA WITH A VANDADIUM COMPOUND TO BE CONVERTED INTO VANDIUM OXIDE AND EFFECTING THE CONVERSION INTO VANADIUM OXIDE IN SITU IN THE PRE-TREATED ACTIVATED ALUMINA BY HEATING IN AIR, THE CHARGE OF RESULTANT VANADIUM OXIE ON THE ALUMINA AMOUNTING TO ABOUT 5 TO 10% BY WEIGHT.