Oxidation of C-2-C-4 alkanes on chromium oxide/alumina and on Cr2O3: catalytic and TPD studies

Oxidation of ethane, propane and n-butane on chromium oxide supported on al umina and on unsupported chromia yields carbon oxides as the main reaction products. The selectivity to olefins, the oxidative dehydrogenation product s does not exceed about 8% at 10% conversion for propane and n-butane and 1 % for the ethane reaction. Oxidative dehydrogenation is the main reaction f or the isobutane reaction, the latter hydrocarbon showing, moreover, the hi ghest overall activity. The TPD experiments show that the adsorbed alkane s pecies desorb in the form of CO2 and H2O, only traces of olefins being obse rved. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.