GB685744A - Process for the production of hydrocyanic acid from volatile hydrocarbons and ammonia - Google Patents

Abstract

In the production of hydrocyanic acid by interacting gaseous ammonia and a volatile saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon, preferably methane, in the presence of a platinum metal catalyst, the reaction chamber consists of a ceramic material containing less than 25 per cent of silica. Shaped bodies may be positioned in the reaction chamber and are preferably of such a shape that their outer boundary surfaces run substantially parallel to the inner walls of the reaction chamber. In order to obtain good yields the gap bounded by the inner wall of the reaction chamber and the shaped bodies should lie between 2 m.m. and 15 m.m. Suppression of undesired side reactions and increase in yield may be effected by introducing the reactant gases separately into the reaction chamber, the ammonia entering at as low a temperature as possible and the hydrocarbons at as high a temperature as possible not exceeding their decomposition temperature. The catalyst may be applied to the walls of the reaction chamber and shaped bodies in the form of foil or as a coating deposited chemically or electrolytically. In order to minimize losses of catalyst material owing to platinum meal volatizing with the reaction gases the outflowing gases may be caused to pass through baffle bodies; more particularly of gold, preferably maintained at a temperature between 600 and 700 DEG C.