Process for the continuous production of 1,4-dicyano-2-butene

Claim 2

The process of claim 2 wherein said copper-I-salt is copper-I-chloride.

Claim 3

The process of claim 2 wherein said continuous process is carried out in three cascade vessels.

Claim 4

In a process for the production of 1,4-dicyano-2-butene by reacting 1,4-dichloro-2-butene, 1,2-dichloro-3-butene or a mixture of the two with an aqueous solution of sodium cyanide in the presence of a copper-I-salt catalyst at a pH of about 3-4, the improvement which comprises continuously introducing the dichlorobutene into the first of a plurality of vessels of a cascade and also continuously introducing into each vessel of the cascade an aqueous solution consisting essentially of a sodium cyanide solution containing 0.5-10 percent by weight of said copper-I-salt catalyst, based on the solid sodium cyanide, the amount of dichlorobutene being continuously introduced to said vessel being such that it does not exceed the amount reacting with the sodium cyanide per unit time and the introduction of said aqueous sodium cyanide into each individual vessel of the cascade being separately regulated by maintaining the pH at 3-4 in each vessel.