Niobium-containing catalysts for oxydehydrogenation of hydrocarbons and alcohols

The first methods are developed for introducing niobium(V) into Mg-Al hydrotalcites used as precursors of oxide catalysts for oxydehydrogenation (OD) of alkanes and alcohols. Samples of niobium(V)-containing oxide catalysts are synthesized. Their catalytic properties are studied in oxydehydrogenation of ethane and ethylbenzene to styrene, oxidation dehydrocyclization of octane into ethylbenzene and styrene, and oxydehydrogenation of sec-butanol to ketone (octane-(2)-one). It is ascertained that ethane transformation into ethylene is highly a selective highly process (92-97%) at low temperatures (450-500A degrees C) in the presence of a niobium-containing catalyst; the catalyst is appreciably efficient in ethylbenzene transformation to styrene and dehydrocyclization of n-octane to ethylbenzene and styrene, and in oxydehydrogenation of secbutanol to octane-(2)-one. All the catalysts studied operate stably in OD reactions; no decrease in their activity or selectivity was detected after 50 h operation.