GAS-PHASE HYDROGENATION OF ACETONITRILE ON RANEY-NICKEL CATALYSTS - REACTIVE HYDROGEN

Catalytic hydrogenation of acetonitrile on Raney nickel has been studied in gas phase. The chemisorption of hydrogen has been followed by TPD and inelastic neutron scattering; these techniques indicate the presence of both weakly and strongly adsorbed hydrogen. Kinetic studies and pulse experiments show that only weakly adsorbed hydrogen, localised on top of the nickel atoms and on C-3v symmetry sites, is active for the hydrogenation. Acetonitrile and reactive hydrogen are weakly adsorbed on Raney nickel, and compete for the same site. Conversely, amines more strongly adsorbed than acetonitrile, but on different sites, do not constitute a poison for the reaction.