High-Density Lewis Acid Sites in Porous Single-Crystalline Monoliths to Enhance Propane Dehydrogenation at Reduced Temperatures

The non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propylene plays an important role in the light-olefin chemical industry. However, the conversion and selectivity remain a fundamental challenge at low temperatures. Here we create and engineer high-density Lewis acid sites at well-defined surfaces in porous single-crystalline Mo2N and MoN monoliths to enhance the non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propylene. The top-layer Mo ions with unsaturated Mo-N-1/6 and Mo-N-1/3 coordination structures provide high-density Lewis acid sites at the surface, leading to the effective activation of C-H bonds without the overcracking of C-C bonds during the non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane. We demonstrate a propane conversion of approximate to 11 % and a propylene selectivity of approximate to 95 % with porous single-crystalline Mo2N and MoN monoliths at 500 degrees C.

Automated summary

In this study, high-density Lewis acid sites were created and engineered on the surfaces of porous single-crystalline Mo2N and MoN monoliths to enhance the non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propylene. The top-layer Mo ions with specific coordination structures provided effective activation of C-H bonds without overcracking of C-C bonds, resulting in propane conversion of approximately 11% and propylene selectivity of approximately 95% at 500 degrees C.