Selective cis / trans - of isomerization of 2 - pentene nitriles in a solution of pentene nitrile isomers

摘要

Cis- and trans-2-pentenenitriles in a mixture of pentenenitriles are brought closer to their equilibrium ratio by contacting the mixture with a Lewis acid/Lewis base catalyst composition. By this process trans-2-pentenenitrile can be removed from a mixture containing mainly 3-pentenenitrile by isomerizing the trans-2-pentenenitrile to cis-2-pentenenitrile and removing the more volatile cis isomer by fractional distillation. There is substantially no isomerization of 3-pentenenitrile to cis- or trans-2-pentenenitrile.