Continuous Synthesis of 5-Oxohexanenitrile in a Microreactor: from Kinetic Study to Reactor Modeling

Synthesis experiments of 5-oxohexanenitrile through the addition of acetone to acrylonitrile at the temperature range of 200-230 degrees C were carried out in a microreactor. Based on the experimental data, a semiempirical kinetic model was established and validated. According to the developed kinetic model, the effects of the molar ratio of acetone to acrylonitrile, the concentration of N-propylamine, and the initial water content were further investigated. By coupling the semiempirical kinetics with the plug flow reactor model, studies on the effect of the reactor diameter, the residence time, and the reaction temperature were performed to shed some light on the design and optimization of the industrial tubular reactors for the production of 5-oxohexanenitrile.