ACID-BASE PROPERTIES OF METALLIC OXIDE CATALYSTS STUDIED BY CONVERSION OF PROPAN-2-OL

Conversion of propan-2-of in the absence of air has been used to characterize the acid-base properties of metallic oxides. Two families of solids were studied: the first, niobic acid and oxides exhibited only acidic properties, i.e. resulted only in formation of propene, the second, mixed cobalt and nickel molybdates in their alpha or beta forms, exhibited acidic and basic properties i.e. resulted in the formation of both propene and acetone. It was also observed that beta-phase molybdates are more active and slightly more selective for propene than the alpha-phase molybdates.