OXIDATIVE DEHYDROGENATION OF ETHYLBENZENE ON A NI-V-SB GAMMA-AL2O3 CATALYST/

A new Ni-V-Sb/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst is proposed for the oxidative dehyd rogenation of ethylbenzene. A study has been made of the catalytic act ivity of its individual components supported by gamma-Al2O3. It has be en shown that the Ni-V/gamma-Al2O3 and V-Sb/gamma-Al2O3 systems differ little in activity. This fact as well as coking of the surface of the Ni-V-Sb/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst during the reaction, levels out any vari ations in activity of specimens prepared in different ways, which make s the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene substantially differen t from that of n-butane on a Ni-V-Sb/gamma-Al2O3 system. A study has b een made of the kinetic relationships, and it has been shown that the mechanism of the main process includes the formation of oxidative cond ensation products. Intradiffusional retardation of extensive degradati on of ethylbenzene has been found.