Oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butane on MgO-supported vanadium oxide catalysts

Abstract Vanadium–magnesium oxide (VMgO) catalysts have been prepared, characterized and tested in the ODH of n-butane. The catalysts were prepared by two variations of the wet-impregnation method using aqueous ammonium metavanadate or organically-based methanolic vanadyl acetylacetonate solutions. The catalyst surface area depends on the vanadium content and the preparation method. Catalyst characterization (i.e. XRD, 51V NMR, FTIR, LRS) results indicate the presence of poor crystalline Mg-orthovanadate (Mg3V2O8), while the presence of other Mg-vanadates is not clear. Oxygen isotopic-exchange experiments on VMgO catalysts indicate an R2 process: [ 18 O 2 +2 16 O 2− (s) → ( 18 O 18 O 16 O 1…