Copper-promoted antimony phosphate oxide complex catalysts

Claim 1

In an ammoxidation process for producing a nitrile in which a reactant selected from the group consisting of propylene, isobutylene, t-butyl alcohol, acrolein and methacrolein together with oxygen and ammonia in the vapor phase are contacted with an oxide complex catalyst at elevated temperature, the improvement wherein said catalyst is an antimony phosphate having an Sb/P ratio of 0.7/1 to 1/0.7, a majority of said catalyst having the SbPO 4 layered structure, at least 70% of the antimony in said oxide complex catalyst being in the trivalent state, said oxide complex catalyst consisting essentially of the formula Sb.sub.m Cu.sub.n A.sub.a C.sub.e P.sub.p D.sub.d O.sub.x wherein A is one or more elements selected from the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and thallium; C is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, Cr, Bi, Zn, Cd and B; D is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of As, Te, Ge, Sn, and Ti; and wherein m is 5-15; n is 0.01-5 a is 0-2 e is 0-7.5 p is 5-15; d is 0-1; n+a+e+d=0.1 to 10 based on m+p=20; and x is determined by the nature and the oxidation state of the other elements.