In the Sohio process, propylene, ammonia, and air are passed over the bismuth-molybdenum catalyst at high temperatures (around 400-500°C). The catalyst facilitates the oxidation of propylene to acrylonitrile. The overall reaction can be summarized as follows: 2 C3H6 + 2 NH3 + 3 O2 → 2 C3H3N + 6 H2O In this reaction, the catalyst aids in breaking the C-H bonds in propylene and forming the C≡N bonds in acrylonitrile while minimizing the formation of by-products such as acetonitrile and hydrogen cyanide.
