Preparation of Maleic Anhydride by Catalytic Air Oxidation of C<sub>5</sub>-Hydrocarbons

Abstract

C5-hydrocarbons were oxidized on V2O5-MoO3 catalyst by air using a fixed bed reactor. Reaction conditions such as temperature, flow rate of gas and concentration of hydrocarbon were examined in order to obtain maleic anhydride in a good yield. Maximum yields obtained from 1, 3-pentadiene, cyclopentene, n-pentene-1 and C5-fraction of cracked naphtha were 35, 40, 15 and 29mol%, respectively under the optimum reaction condition. Yield of maleic anhydride from C5-fraction agreed with the yield calculated based on the assumption that each component was oxidized independently.