Selective oxidation of propylene to acetone by molecular oxygen over M x/2 H 5− x[PMo 10V 2O 40]/HMS (M=Cu 2+, Co 2+, Ni 2+)

Abstract

The transition metal salts (Cu 2+, Co 2+ and Ni 2+) of 10-molybdo-2-vanadophosphoric acid (H 5[PMo 10V 2O 40]) were supported on hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS), and the resultant materials were used as catalysts for the selective oxidation of propylene to acetone by molecular oxygen. CuH 3[PMo 10V 2O 40]/HMS showed a high selectivity for acetone of 84.2% at 17.8% propylene conversion in a tubular fixed-bed reactor system under atmospheric pressure at 423 K. The high yield of acetone over CuH 3[PMo 10V 2O 40]/HMS at 423 K resulted from the proper acidity and oxidation ability of the heteropoly compound, the nature (acid property, redox property, etc.) of the Cu 2+ counter-ion, the high surface area of the HMS support and the proper reaction temperature for the propylene oxidation.