CHARACTERISTICS OF CR2O3-CUO MGF2 CATALYSTS AND A COMPARISON WITH CR2O3/MGF2 AND CUO/MGF2 SYSTEMS/

A characterization of binary preparations containing Cr2O3 and CuO sup ported on magnesium fluoride has been carried out. The IR study enable d characterization of complexes formed on the surface of the samples, namely, the [CrO6], [CrO4] structures and Cu2+ ions in the neighbourho od of oxygen or fluorine-containing ligands. Some of these species wer e also detected by EPR spectroscopy. The results proved that electron transfer from Cr3+ to Cu2+ takes place. Cr2O3-CuO/MgF2 preparations we re also tested in model catalytic reactions such as: propan-2-ol decom position, the dehydrogenation of cyclohexane, cumene cracking and hydr ogenation of nitrobenzene. A distinct increase in the activity of the binary preparations over those of the Cr2O3/MgF2 and CuO/MgF2 systems was observed. In every case the rise in activity was attributed to the Cr-Cu interaction.