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.
