A study of the oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane over oxide catalysts

The vapor-phase cyclohexane oxidative dehydrogenation has been investigated over several catalysts. A typical catalyst for total oxidation, as Mn2O3, materials applied in the field of oxide hydrogenation reactions, as silica-supported vanadia- and niobia-based catalysts, V-, Fe-, and Ce-phosphates used for partial oxidation reactions and ZSM5 zeolite, protonic and Co exchanged, have been tested. Over almost all the catalysts, benzene is the main product obtained, although cyclohexene is obtained with high selectivity at low conversion on phosphate catalysts.