COMPUTER ESTIMATION OF KINETIC-PARAMETERS IN PROPIONITRILE HYDROGENATION ON A SUPPORTED NICKEL-CATALYST

Several sets of measured kinetic data on propionitrile hydrogenation using a supported nickel catalyst were fitted by a quasi-homogeneous kinetic model expressing the changes in the amounts of gaseous reactants and products during the reaction. The rate equations, together with their estimated kinetic parameters, can be used in modelling industrial reactors for propylamine production. The activation energy calculated for reactions yielding mono-, di- and tripropylamines are nearly equal. This fact lends strong support to the earlier assumption that propenylimine is a common surface intermediate in the complex reaction system. Previous results and some recently published data have been utilized to propose an extended mechanism for heterogeneous catalytic nitrile hydrogenation.