INTERCALATION STUDY AND CATALYSIS BY LANTHANUM NIOBIUM OXIDES

For the study of the acidic character of layered perovskite oxide, HLaNb2O7 ( HLa ), the intercalation of water and alcohols was performed and further the HLa was used of dehydration of 1- and 2-butanol as a test reaction. The acidic properties of the HLa was greatly affected by the irreversible water in the interlayer removed in the temperature range of 350-degrees-C-400-degrees-C. In the presence of water, the intercalation of hydrophilic n-alcohols having carbon number below 5 occurred. Dehydration activity of 2-butanol was higher than 1-butanol and produced only n-butenes. On the other hand, butenes and n-butylaldehyde were produced in the reaction of 1-butanol, especially the formation of the latter was predominant at the lower temperature as 200-degrees-C-250-degrees-C. With raising the heat-treatment temperature of the catalyst its acidity decreased and was almost lost at 500-degrees-C. However, the selectivity to n-butylaldehyde increased, indicating that the acidity did not concern to the n-butylaldehyde formation. The reaction behaviors of 1-and 2-butanol on the HLa catalyst were discussed.