Andrussow Process
Production
Andrussow process is an industrial process for the production of hydrogen cyanide from methane and ammonia in the presence of oxygen and a platinum catalyst.
CH4 + NH3 + 1.5 O2 --> HCN + 3 H2O
There are two methods of production:
- Andrussow Process
- BMA Process/Degussa Process
Technical Information
(at a glance)
Occurrences
Formula: HCN
IUPAC ID: formonitrile
Boiling point: 78.08°F (25.6°C)
Molar mass: 27.0253 g/mol
Density: 687.00 kg/m³
Melting point: 7.88°F (-13.4°C)
- Pit-containg fruits (eg. apricots, passion fruit)
- Certain insects
- Interstellar medium
Andrussow Process Diagram
THE END
BMA Process/Degussa Process
History
Applications
Hydrogen Cyanide
- HCN is the precursor to sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide, which are used mainly in gold and silver mining and for the electroplating of those metals.
- A variety of useful organic compounds are prepared from HCN including the monomer methyl methacrylate, from acetone, the amino acid methionine, via the Strecker synthesis, and the chelating agents EDTA and NTA.
- The hydrocyanation process, HCN is added to butadiene to give adiponitrile, a precursor to Nylon 66.
- Uses for hydrogen cyanide is primarily in the manufacture of other chemicals and plastics and also as a fumigant.
The BMA process or Degussa process is a chemical process developed by the German chemical company Degussa for the production of hydrogen cyanide from methane and ammonia in presence of a platinum catalyst.. Hydrogen cyanide is used in the chemical industry for the production of intermediate chemicals like acrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate, and adiponitrile.
CH4 + NH3 -->HCN + 3 H2, ΔHR = 251 kJ / mol
- First isolated from 'Prussian Blue' in 1704
- First prepared by Carl Wilhelm Sheele in 1785 from 'Prussian Blue'; was termed Blausäure (blue acid)
- Atomic structure deduced by Gay-Lussac in 1885