Stepwise preparation of fatty acid nitriles

Claim 1

IN THE STEPWISE PREPARATION OF FATTY ACID NITRILE BY REACTING FATTY ACID FEED WITH AMMONIA IN A REACTION ZONE TO FORM A CORRESPONDING FATTY ACID AMIDE AND SUBSEQUENTLY REACTING THE FATTY ACID AMIDE IN A SECOND SEPARATE AND DISCRETE ZONE WITH ADDITIONAL AMMONIA TO FORM A CORRESPONDING FATTY ACID NITRILE, THE PRESSURE IN SAID REACTION ZONES BEING MAINTAINED AT A LEVEL FOR KEEPING SAID ACID, AMIDE, NITRILE, AND ALL INTERMEDIATE PRODUCTS IN LIQUID PHASE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH CONSISTS IN SUBJECTING SAID RESULTANT PRODUCTS IN A THIRD SEPARATE AND DISCRETE REACTION ZONE TO ADDITIONAL AMMONIA AT ABOUT 300*C. AND UNDER SUFFICIENT PRESSURE TO MAINTAIN THE PRODUCTS IN LIQUID PHASE, SAID ADDITIONAL AMMONIA BEING INTRODUCED INTO SAID THIRD REACTION ZONE AT ABUT 0.5 MOL PER MOL OF FATTY ACID FEED, REDUCING THE PRESSURE TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO REMOVE THE AMMONIA, AND THEN DISTILLING THE LIQUID PRODUCT UNDER VACUUM TO OBTAIN A NITRILE PRODUCT SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF IMPURITIES.