ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Agri-chemical synthesis: the selective production of primary amines via the heterogeneously catalysed hydrogenation of aromatic nitriles - MAPS

Abstract: The synthesis of aromatic primary amines via the heterogeneously catalysed selective hydrogen of nitriles represents a process step within certain agrichemical production chains, where amine selectivity can be compromised by a consecutive post-hydrogenation hydrogenolysis stage. In collaboration with Syngenta, the world?s largest agrichemical company, the Glasgow team are investigating how the catalyst and reaction operating conditions can be adjusted to enhance product yields. A previous INS study was able to identify retained hydrocarbonaceous species responsible for catalyst deactivation. This proposal seeks to use INS to complement laboratory infrared spectroscopic measurements to determine the geometry of benzonitrile and benzylamine over a reference Pd/Al2O3 catalyst.

Public release date: 26 November 2028

Principal Investigator: Professor David Lennon
Local Contact: Dr Hamish Cavaye
Experimenter: Miss Asma Nadia
Experimenter: Professor Stewart Parker
Experimenter: Mr Muhammad Arifuddin Fitriady
Experimenter: Miss Atina Azzahra

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2510227-1

Parent DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2510227

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2510227

Part Number: 1

Date of Experiment: 24 November 2025

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Professor David Lennon et al; (2025): Agri-chemical synthesis: the selective production of primary amines via the heterogeneously catalysed hydrogenation of aromatic nitriles - MAPS, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2510227-1

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.