A method for nitrilation reaction of acrylic acid ester using a metal-doped titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) catalyst includes synthesizing a metal-doped titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) catalyst by mixing a titanium precursor, a metal precursor and an acid solvent, and obtaining a final product by injecting a gas containing ammonia and ethyl acrylate to the catalyst.

A process for the nitrilation of a fatty acid or of a fatty acid ester, which is optionally unsaturated, by reacting the fatty acid or fatty acid ester with ammonia in a reactor operating continuously in the gas phase or in the mixed gas-liquid phase in a temperature range of from 180 to 400 C., in the presence of a solid catalyst comprising at least one metal oxide, the metal of which belongs to column 8 of the periodic table, as a mixture with at least one metal oxide chosen from aluminum oxides, zirconium oxides, niobium oxides, tantalum oxides and tin oxides, the metal oxide(s), the metal of which belongs to column 8, being present in a volume ratio of 0.1 to 0.6 relative to the volume of the mixture of all the oxides.

A process for the nitrilation of a fatty acid or of a fatty acid ester, which is optionally unsaturated, by reacting the fatty acid or fatty acid ester with ammonia in a reactor operating continuously in the gas phase or in the mixed gas-liquid phase in a temperature range of from 180 to 400 C., in the presence of a solid catalyst comprising at least one metal oxide, the metal of which belongs to column 8 of the periodic table, as a mixture with at least one metal oxide chosen from aluminum oxides, zirconium oxides, niobium oxides, tantalum oxides and tin oxides, the metal oxide(s), the metal of which belongs to column 8, being present in a volume ratio of 0.1 to 0.6 relative to the volume of the mixture of all the oxides.

A process for the nitrilation of a fatty acid or of a fatty acid ester, which is optionally unsaturated, by reacting the fatty acid or fatty acid ester with ammonia in a reactor operating continuously in the gas phase or in the mixed gas-liquid phase in a temperature range of from 180 to 400 C., in the presence of a solid catalyst comprising at least one metal oxide, the metal of which belongs to column 8 of the periodic table, as a mixture with at least one metal oxide chosen from aluminum oxides, zirconium oxides, niobium oxides, tantalum oxides and tin oxides, the metal oxide(s), the metal of which belongs to column 8, being present in a volume ratio of 0.1 to 0.6 relative to the volume of the mixture of all the oxides.

The present invention is directed to catalysts and processes for catalyzing two or more chemical reactions with a multifunctional catalyst in a reaction vessel. The processes include steps for introducing one or more reagents to a reaction vessel containing a multifunctional catalyst; contacting the one or more reagents with a first portion of the multifunctional catalyst to produce an intermediate; contacting the intermediate with a second portion of the multifunctional catalyst to produce a product; and removing the product from the reaction vessel. In certain embodiments, the multifunctional catalyst may have a first portion with carbonylation functionality for catalyzing the production of a beta-lactone intermediate from an epoxide reagent and a carbon monoxide reagent. In certain embodiments, the multifunctional catalyst may have a second portion with a functionality suitable for polymerization, co-polymerization, and/or modification of a beta-lactone intermediate. In preferred embodiments, the first portion and second portion are bonded to a heterogenous support.

The present invention is directed to catalysts and processes for catalyzing two or more chemical reactions with a multifunctional catalyst in a reaction vessel. The processes include steps for introducing one or more reagents to a reaction vessel containing a multifunctional catalyst; contacting the one or more reagents with a first portion of the multifunctional catalyst to produce an intermediate; contacting the intermediate with a second portion of the multifunctional catalyst to produce a product; and removing the product from the reaction vessel. In certain embodiments, the multifunctional catalyst may have a first portion with carbonylation functionality for catalyzing the production of a beta-lactone intermediate from an epoxide reagent and a carbon monoxide reagent. In certain embodiments, the multifunctional catalyst may have a second portion with a functionality suitable for polymerization, co-polymerization, and/or modification of a beta-lactone intermediate. In preferred embodiments, the first portion and second portion are bonded to a heterogenous support.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes a first reacting a molecule from at least one of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, and/or an anhydride with ammonia to form a nitrile, where the first reacting is catalyzed using an acid catalyst. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of acetic acid, lactic acid, and/or 3-hydroxyproprionic acid (3-HPA). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of methyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and/or ethyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (ethyl 3-HP). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the anhydride may be acetic anhydride.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes a first reacting a molecule from at least one of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, and/or an anhydride with ammonia to form a nitrile, where the first reacting is catalyzed using an acid catalyst. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of acetic acid, lactic acid, and/or 3-hydroxyproprionic acid (3-HPA). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of methyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and/or ethyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (ethyl 3-HP). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the anhydride may be acetic anhydride.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes a first reacting a molecule from at least one of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, and/or an anhydride with ammonia to form a nitrile, where the first reacting is catalyzed using an acid catalyst. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of acetic acid, lactic acid, and/or 3-hydroxyproprionic acid (3-HPA). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of methyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and/or ethyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (ethyl 3-HP). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the anhydride may be acetic anhydride.

A process for synthesizing an -amino acid compound of formula
HOOC(CH.sub.2).sub.r+2CH.sub.2NH.sub.2,
wherein 4r13 from a monounsaturated fatty nitrile compound of formula
CH.sub.2CH(CH.sub.2).sub.rCN
the process comprising: 1) a step of hydroformylation of the mono unsaturated fatty nitrile compound by reacting said nitrile with carbon monoxide and di hydrogen 5e-a5 to obtain a nitrile aldehyde compound of formula HOC(CH2)r+2-CN, then 2) a step of oxidation, in the presence of dioxygen, of the nitrile aldehyde compound to obtain a corresponding nitrile acid compound of formula HOOC(CH2)r+2-CN, and 3) a step of reduction of the nitrile acid compound to give an w-amino acid of formula
HOOC(CH.sub.2).sub.r+2CH.sub.2NH.sub.2.