Manufacture of acrylonitrile

Abstract

Processes for the production of acrylonitrile from acrolein are disclosed. The acrolein feedstock is generated by the catalytic dehydration of glycerol. In various aspects, the invention integrates acrolein and its production by the dehydration of glycerol into the conventional manufacture of acrylonitrile and HCN and acetonitrile co-products by heterogeneous catalytic ammoxidation of propylene and / or propane in the vapor phase with ammonia and air. Further, a component may be introduced into the ammoxidation reaction along with acrolein and optionally propylene and / or propane to increase the production of HCN and / or acetonitrile co-products, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of an alcohol, a carboxylic acid or salt thereof, a ketone and mixtures thereof. The integrated processes provide desirable production flexibility and are capable of selectively generating bio-based acrylonitrile and / or bio-attributed acrylonitrile products along with bio-based and / or bi-attributed HCN and / or acetonitrile co-products.

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