Amidation of ethylene with carbon monoxide and ammonia over supported Ru catalysts

The amidation of ethylene with carbon monoxide and ammonia over supported R u ammine complex ion catalysts under atmospheric pressure has been investig ated. The catalytic activity was affected remarkably by Ru precursors, supp orts and pretreatment temperature. The catalyst with highest activity was o btained using Ru ammine complex salts and by the pretreatment at 180-200 de grees C. The selectivity to propiononitrile formation increased with the ac idity of the supports, indicating that propionamide was formed on Ru entiti es and was successively dehydrated to propiononitrile on the acidic sites o f the support. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.