SELECTIVE DEHYDROGENATION OF ETHANE BY NITROUS OXIDE OVER VARIOUS METAL OXIDE CATALYSTS

Abstract
Catalytic oxidation of ethane with N2O in the presence of water has been investigated over various metal oxides. Zinc oxide showed a high catalytic activity for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (52.0% conversion and 80.0% selectivity at 823K), while a 14.2% combined selectivity for acetaldehyde and ethanol formation was attained at a 8.9% conversion of ethane over a 2.1 wt% MoO3/SiO2 catalyst at 773K.