Abstract: It is an object of the invention to specify an electrically heatable reactor for hydrogen cyanide production and the production of other nitriles that enables a differentiated temperature profile and requires no more than inexpensive standard components. The core of the inventive apparatus (0) is a chamber (1) made of gas-permeable, thermally insulating material that constitutes the actual reaction space. Electrical heating elements (5) project into the chamber (1), such that the chamber (1) can be heated from the inside by the heating elements (5). The electrical terminals of the heating elements are outside the reaction space but within the surrounding shell. Unlike in the industrially implemented BMA process, the heat is thus not transported into the reaction space from the outside, but rather generated in the reaction space. The heat is generated by conversion of electrical energy by means of the heating elements (5) by the principle of resistance heating.

Abstract: The invention relates to catalytically active heating elements, and to the production and use thereof in the production of hydrogen cyanide (HCN). The problem addressed by the invention is that of providing thermally stable and catalytically active heating elements with which a BMA process can be simultaneously electrically heated and chemically catalysed. In particular, the heating elements should be thermally and mechanically stable in continuous industrial operation and retain their catalytic activity. The heating element according to the invention has a layered structure (A, B, C) formed from (A) silicon carbide (SiC), (B) aluminium nitride (AlN) and (C) platinum (Pt). The silicon carbide (SiC) serves as an electric heating resistor. The platinum (Pt) serves as catalyst. Aluminium nitride (AIN) is arranged as a protective layer between platinum (Pt) and silicon carbide (SiC). It prevents platinum (Pt) and silicon carbide (SiC) from alloying during ongoing operation.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for producing methionine or salts or derivatives thereof from hydrogen cyanide (HCN), the method comprising a step of producing 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile (MMP-CN), or a crude product mixture comprising MMP-CN, by contacting a hydrogen cyanide (HCN) process gas mixture prepared according to the Andrussow process from methane, ammonia and oxygen, with 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde (MMP), wherein the HCN process gas mixture is obtained from the crude HCN process gas mixture by adjusting the amount of ammonia to between 20% (v/v) and 60% (v/v) of the amount of the ammonia in the crude HCN process gas mixture.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for producing methionine or salts or derivatives thereof from hydrogen cyanide (HCN), the method comprising a step of producing 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile (MMP-CN), or a crude product mixture comprising MMP-CN, by contacting a hydrogen cyanide (HCN) process gas mixture prepared according to the Andrussow process from methane, ammonia and oxygen, with 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde (MMP), wherein the HCN process gas mixture is obtained from the crude HCN process gas mixture by adjusting the amount of ammonia to between 20% (v/v) and 60% (v/v) of the amount of the ammonia in the crude HCN process gas mixture.