Method of vaporizing adipic acid in heated ammonia and process for the production of adiponitrile

1,137,657. Adiponitrile. VICKERSZIMMER A.G. PLANTING UND BAU VON INDUSTRIEANLAGEN. 14 June, 1967 [14 June, 1966], No. 27473/67. Heading C2C. Adiponitrile is produced by spreading molten adipic acid on the internal walls of a vessel having a temperature of 350-380‹ C. and passing in ammonia at 360-380‹ C. to evaporate all the adipic acid except an amount just sufficient to dissolve any tarry materials formed in the process, passing the resulting vaporous mixture through a reactor having a solid dehydration catalyst contained in a plurality of tubes, each having a length 58-666 times the diameter thereof. The vessel is preferably a wiped film evaporator and the catalyst preferably phosphoric acid on a silicon carrier.