Characterisation of the basicity of modified MgO-catalysts

The modification of magnesium oxide with caesium, barium or yttrium oxide w as carried out in order to increase its base strength. The decomposition of 2-butanol and 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol as well as the FTIR investigation of a dsorbed acid probe molecules on the catalysts were used as basicity charact erisation methods. The Cs/MgO catalyst showed the highest selectivity for t he dehydrogenation of 2-butanol, for the formation of l-butene as well as t he highest conversion of 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol into acetone and acetylene. The FTIR investigations revealed the strongest basic sites in the case of C s/MgO, while basic sites stronger than on pure MgO were not detected on Ba/ MgO and Y/MgO. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.