Comparison of different organic test reactions over acid-base catalysts

Three test reactions were studied: transformations of 1-phenylethanol (R-1) , 2-propanol (R-2), and 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (R) over several oxide cataly sts. Results were correlated to acid-base properties in these solids, calcu lated by using temperature programmed desorption-mass spectrometry (TPD-MS) techniques with pyridine, 2,6-dimethylpyridine and carbon dioxide as probe molecules described elsewhere. The three reactions lead to concordant resu lts on acid-base characteristic of catalysts. R-1 and R-2 test reactions ar e less complicated (less products) than R-3. However, the latter follows sp ecific ways depending on our catalyst having acid, basic or acid-base pair sites, whereas R-1 and R-2 are less specific. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.