Abstract
The kinetics of heterogeneous vapor-phase ammoxidation of 4-picoline and 2-picoline was studied over a Cr2O3-Al2O3 catalyst in a flow system. The reaction was carried out at atmospheric pressure and over the temperature range of 310 to 380°. By this reaction, cyanopyridine was obtained selectively. The reaction rate depended on the partial pressure of picoline and oxygen, but was not affected by that of ammonia, cyanopyridine, or water. Experimental rate data were well interpreted by the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism, where the rate-determining step was the surface reaction between absorbed picoline molecules and absorbed oxygen molecules.
