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Title: The nature of the active phase in the heteropolyacid catalyst H{sub 4}PVMo{sub 11}O{sub 40} {center_dot} 32H{sub 2}O used for the selective oxidation of isobutyric acid

Journal Article · · Journal of Catalysis
; ;  [1]
  1. Fritz Haber Institut der Max-Planck Gesellschaft, Berlin (Germany); and others

The structural changes of the title compound during heating and under conditions of catalytic conversion of isobutyric acid to methacrylic acid were followed in situ by powder X-ray diffraction under continuous control of its activity. The results were verified by a postmortem phase analysis of practical supported catalyst samples used in kinetic reactors. The activity of the catalyst is correlated with its dehydrated form. A new cubic phase of a water-free vanadyl salt of the heteropolyacid (HPA) was found to be connected to a maximum conversion. This phase is isostructural to the unsubstituted anhydrous alkali-3-HPA salts and is metastable at ambient conditions with respect to rehydration. The catalyst material as a whole is metastable at any temperature above the onset of conversion with respect to a partially reversible decomposition into MoO{sub 3} and amorphous other components. Restructuring into crystalline forms of HPA is possible from the deactivated material upon dissolution and recrystallization at 323 K. In Situ UV-VIS data and X-ray diffraction show the complete self-reorganization of the MoO{sub 3} phase and the amorphous V and P compounds into new Keggin anions indicating the possible living nature of the catalyst under reaction conditions which enable extended lifetimes beyond the stability limits found in the present in situ X-ray diffraction experiments. 32 refs., 16 figs., 3 tabs.

OSTI ID:
96288
Journal Information:
Journal of Catalysis, Vol. 153, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: May 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English