ISOMERIZATION AND DEHYDROGENATION OF BUTENE CATALYZED BY NOBLE METALS AND THEIR ALLOYS

Isomerization and dehydrogenation of butene have been studied on metal catalysts composed of palladium, gold, and their alloys. The isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene was found to be catalyzed by gold at temperatures of 300 ° and 400 °C in the absence of added hydrogen. In the presence of added hydrogen, some isomerization activity was exhibited also by palladium and palladium-gold alloys. The addition of small quantities of oxygen, however, completely suppressed the isomerization process and led to the formation of butadiene on catalysts containing up to 60 atom % gold. Results of measurements on a hydrogen-porous metal membrane indicate that the rate of isomerization is faster than that of hydrogenation and that both processes depend on the surface density of hydrogen atoms. As a primary step in the isomerization process, the addition of a hydrogen atom is proposed, followed by hydrogen abstraction. © 1969.