A method for providing .sup.11C-labeled cyanides from .sup.11C labeled oxides in a target gas stream retrieved from an irradiated high pressure gaseous target containing O.sub.2, wherein .sup.11C labeled oxides are reduced with H.sub.2 in the presence of a nickel catalyst under a pressure and a temperature sufficient to form a product stream comprising at least about 95% .sup.11CH.sub.4, the .sup.11CH.sub.4 is then combined with an excess of NH.sub.3 in a carrier/reaction stream flowing at an accelerated velocity and the combined .sup.11CH4 carrier/reaction stream is then contacted with a platinum (Pt) catalyst particulate supported on a substantially-chemically-nonreactive heat-stable support at a temperature of at least about 900° C., whereby a product stream comprising at least about 60% H.sup.11CN is provided in less than 10 minutes from retrieval of the .sup.11C labeled oxide.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing alpha-hydroxycarboxylic esters proceeding from hydrogen cyanide, wherein the ammonia formed in the step of alcoholysis of the corresponding alpha-hydroxycarboxamide is recycled into a hydrogen cyanide preparation process after a purification step.

The invention relates to a catalyst material comprising a support, a first metal and a second metal on said support. The first and second metals are in the form of a chemical compound. The first metal is Fe, Co or Ni, and the second metal is selected from the group consisting of Sn, Zn and In. The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from methane (CH.sub.4) and ammonia (NH.sub.3), wherein the methane and ammonia are contacted with a catalyst according to the invention.

The present invention provides materials for improving the ignition of gaseous reactants in metal catalyzed oxidation reactions comprising a metal catalyst gauze, preferably, a platinum/rhodium catalyst gauze, having in contact therewith, from 0.25 to 1.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the metal catalyst gauze, of one or more pieces of previously used metal catalyst gauze. Further, methods of making the metal catalyst materials comprise shaping the pieces of previously used metal catalyst gauze and placing them equidistant from each other in contact with or on the surface of the metal catalyst gauze. And methods of using the materials comprise feeding into the reactor a gas mixture of oxygen or air and one or more reactant gases, and igniting the gas mixture at the surface of one or more or all of the pieces of previously used metal catalyst.

A catalyst includes a gas-permeable textile sheet material made of noble-metal-containing wire having a three-dimensional secondary structure produced thereon. The secondary structure is a three-dimensional dent structure including dents arranged adjacent to each other in rows in two spatial directions. The dents are in the form of a hexagon. The dent structure is formed by self-organization in a denting process.

Described herein is a gaslight multilayered composite tube having a heat transfer coefficient of >500 W/m.sup.2/K which in its construction over the cross section of the wall of the composite tube includes as an inner layer a nonporous monolithic oxide ceramic surrounded by an outer layer of oxidic fiber composite ceramic, where this outer layer has an open porosity of 5%<ε<50%, and which on the inner surface of the composite tube includes a plurality of depressions oriented towards the outer wall of the composite tube. Also described herein is a method of using the multilayered composite tube as a reaction tube for endothermic reactions, jet tubes, flame tubes or rotary tubes.

Described herein is a gaslight multilayered composite tube having a heat transfer coefficient of >500 W/m.sup.2/K which in its construction over the cross section of the wall of the composite tube includes as an inner layer a nonporous monolithic oxide ceramic surrounded by an outer layer of oxidic fiber composite ceramic, where this outer layer has an open porosity of 5%<ε<50%, and which on the inner surface of the composite tube includes a plurality of depressions oriented towards the outer wall of the composite tube. Also described herein is a method of using the multilayered composite tube as a reaction tube for endothermic reactions, jet tubes, flame tubes or rotary tubes.

The invention relates to a process for producing a product gas comprising acetonitrile and/or hydrogen cyanide from a feed stream comprising ammonia and methanol over a solid catalyst comprising a support, a first metal and a second metal on the support, wherein the first metal and the second metal are in the form of a chemical compound, wherein the first metal is Fe, Ru or Co and the second metal is Sn, Zn, or Ge. The pressure is ambient pressure or higher and the temperature lies in a range from about 400° C. to about 700° C. Thus, the process for producing acetonitrile and/or hydrogen cyanide from ammonia and methanol may be catalyzed by a single catalyst and may be carried out in a single reactor. The invention also relates to a catalyst, a method for activating a catalyst and use of a catalyst for catalysing production of acetonitrile and/or hydrogen cyanide from ammonia and methanol.

Three-dimensionally knitted noble metal gauzes, or sections of such gauzes, for carrying out catalytic reactions of fluids are knitted in two or multiple layers and the meshes of the individual layers are connected to one another in one form by a pile thread or multiple pile threads, so that the noble metal gauze has a tertiary structure.

A reactor system and a process for carrying out the reaction of a feed gas comprising an alkane such as methane, and ammonia to hydrogen cyanide and/or a nitrile are provided, where the heat for the endothermic reaction is provided by resistance heating. In particular, the reaction is the BMA (Blausäure aus Methan und Ammoniak) reaction.