Production of aromatic nitriles using vanadium oxide catalysts on an alumina carrier

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AROMATIC NITRILES WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING (A) AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED BENZENES WITH 1 TO 3 ALKYL GROUPS OF 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED NAPHTHALENES WITH 1 TO 2 ALKYL GROUPS OF 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS AND ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED DIPHENYL WITH 1 TO 2 ALKYL GROUPS OF 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, (B) OXYGEN AND (C) AMMONIA AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 300* TO 500*C. AND AT A PRESSURE OF FROM 400 MM. HG TO 2 ATMOSPHERES WITH A CATALYST CONSISTING SUBSTANTIALLY OF A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF VANADIUM OXIDE AND A MIXTURE OF VANADIUM OXIDE AND CHROMIUM OXIDE, SAID CATALYST BEING SUPPORTED ON AN ALUMINA CARRIER MADE UP OF A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF Y-ALUMINA, $-ALUMINA, $-ALUMINA, K-ALUMINA, X-ALUMINA, AND MIXTURES OF Y-ALUMINA AND $-ALUMINAL, Y-ALUMINA AND N-ALUMINA, $ALUMINA AND $-ALUMINA, SAID ALUMINA CARRIER BEING PREPREPARED FROM AT LEAST ONE MINERAL OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BOEHIMITE, BAYERITE AND HYDRARGILLITE, WHICH ALUMINA CARRIER SHOWS LINES HAVING ANGULAR WIDTHS AT HALF-MAXIMUM INTENSITY OF 1.5* TO 4.0*2$.