Andrussov Synthesis of Hydrogen Cyanide

TABLE 4.5. Fomialdehyde Production with Silver and Iron Molybdate Catalysts. 

Poisons Iron carbonyl, chloride, sulfur, sodium, heavy metals.  

The Andrussov Process for the manufacture of hydrogen cyanide by am-moxidation of methane is now widely used  

Air is the usual oxidant and while natural gas is the most common source of hydrocarbons, by-product gases from other units such as an ethylene plant can also be used. 

The original catalyst, still widely used, is essentially the same as that developed for ammonia oxidation. Leonid Andrussov had previously worked out the reaction mechanism for ammonia oxidation with Bodenstein in 1926 and investigated the process for many years.  

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