OXIDATIVE DEHYDROGENATION OF ISOBUTANE ON CHROMIUM-OXIDE TITANIA CATALYSTS

Oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutane has been studied at 250 degrees C for a series of chromium oxide-TiO2 (anatase) samples containing 5- 50 Cr at per nm(2) of the support surface and for pure chromia. The ca talysts have been characterized by XPS, Raman, ESR spectroscopies and by probe reactions for acido-basic properties and the catalyst oxygen reactivity. The maximum activity and selectivity to isobutene have bee n observed for a catalyst containing 1 theoretical monolayer of the ch romia phase on titania. Higher selectivity to isobutene for this catal yst as compared with unsupported chromia or catalysts with higher Cr l oading has been ascribed to lower acidity and lower reactivity of oxyg en.