Abstract A lower hydrocarbon having from one to eight carbon atoms is passed through an electric arc, heated therein above about 1,000* F., and immediately mixed with nitrogen or a nitrogencontaining compound, which mixture immediately reacts to form acetylene, hydrogen cyanide and other products, which products are quenched below about 1,000* F. If desired, the resulting products are further reacted to form acrylonitrile from the further reaction of the acetylene with the hydrogen cyanide present. By not passing the nitrogen-containing compound through the arc during the process, severe errosion of the electrodes is avoided. By passing only the lower hydrocarbon through the arc during the process, it is not necessary to employ any inert arc gas, which would increase the cost of operation and the difficulty of separation of products. Because of lower cost and availability, methane and ammonia are preferred as the two reactants. Nitrogen and other nitrogen-containing compounds are disclosed as suitable nitrogen sources to replace the ammonia. Apparatus features are the combination of a rotating arc heater with a fluidized bed arc effluent quench and feed preheater and, if desired, fluidized bed acrylonitrile from hydrogen and acetylene reactor followed, if desired, by a suitable series of fractionators.
The process of claim 1 in which the mixed stream containing acetylene and hydrogen cyanide is passed through a catalytic reaction zone containing a catalyst suitable for converting the acetylene and hydrogen cyanide to acrylonitrile and thereby producing acrylonitrile therefrom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 in which the hydrocarbon is methane and the nitrogen-containing compound is ammonia.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 2 in which the hydrocarbon is methane and the nitrogen-containing compound is ammonia.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 2 in which the catalytic reaction zone comprises a fluidized bed of a catalyst consisting of alkali metal cyanides supported on catalytic supports selected from the group consisting of charcoal, silica, natural and synthetic aluminosilicates, clays, refractory metal oxides and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 2 in which the catalytic reaction zone comprises a fixed bed containing an oxide of a Group IIB metal of the Periodic Table.