Abstract: A process for producing acetonitrile, the process comprising dehydrating a feedstock stream comprising acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, allyl alcohol, and water (and optionally methanol) in a dehydration (first) column to yield a dehydrated acetonitrile stream comprising acetonitrile and acrylonitrile, less than 1 wt % allyl alcohol, and less than 50 wt % water, and optionally hydrogen cyanide; distilling the dehydrated acetonitrile stream in a lights (second) column to yield a distillate stream comprising lights, and a bottoms stream comprising acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, water, and optionally hydrogen cyanide and acrylonitrile; extracting the distillation bottoms stream in an extraction (third) column to yield a raffinate stream comprising acetonitrile and less than 200 ppm acrylonitrile and an extract stream comprising water and acrylonitrile; purifying the raffinate stream to yield a product acetonitrile stream.

Abstract: Reaction pathways and conditions for the production of nitrogen-containing chelators, such as a glycine derivative, are described herein. In particular, the present disclosure describes a process for the production of a nitrile intermediate by reacting a tetra-amino compound with an aldehyde and a hydrogen cyanide to form the nitrile intermediate. The nitrile intermediate may then be further processed to produce the chelators at a high yield and/or a high purity.

Abstract: Reaction pathways and conditions for the production of nitrogen-containing chelators, such as a glycine derivative, as described herein. In particular, the present disclosure describes a process for the production of a nitrile intermediate by reacting a tetra-amino compound with an aldehyde and a hydrogen cyanide to form the nitrile intermediate. The nitrile intermediate may then be further processed to produce the chelators at a high yield and/or a high purity.