Metal supported tungsten catalysts from

A mixture of formalin and ethanol was passed at 240—320 C over various metal oxides supported on silica gel and metal phosphates. The main products were acrolein, acetaldehyde, methanol, and carbon dioxide. Acidic catalysts such as V-P oxides promoted the dehydration of ethanol to ethene. The best catalytic performances for acrolein formation are obtained with nickel phosphate and silica-supported tungsten, zinc, nickel, and magnesium oxides. With a catalyst with a P/Ni atomic ratio of 2/3, the yields of acrolein reach 52 and 65 mol% on ethanol basis with HCHO/ethanol molar ratios of 2 and 3, respectively. Acetaldehyde and methanol are formed by a hydrogen transfer reaction from ethanol to formaldehyde. Then acrolein is formed by an aldol condensation of formaldehyde with the produced acetaldehyde [40],... 

Clean tungsten carbides, a-WC and a-W C, form essentially only hydrocarbons from CO—H2 reactions. At 673 K and atmospheric pressure, the main products on WC, W2C, and W are methane, CO2, and H2O (121). Ethane and propane are also formed at lower temperatures. WC was substantially more active than W2C and W. The nature of the products can be modified by oxide promoters, as for the case of Rh or Pt, or by the carbon vacancies at the surface (122). At 573 K and 5 MPa with 2H2/CO, turnover rates (based on sites titrated by CO chemisorption) of 0.25-0.85 s were reported for hydrocarbon synthesis over bulk and Ti02-supported tungsten carbides. In addition, WC and WC/Ti02 produced alcohols and other oxygenates with 20-50% selectivity. However, W2C of more metallic character did not produce any oxygenates. Coexistence of carbidic and oxidic components on the catalyst surface appeared to be responsible for alcohol formation. 

Early catalysts for acrolein synthesis were based on cuprous oxide and other heavy metal oxides deposited on inert siHca or alumina supports (39). Later, catalysts more selective for the oxidation of propylene to acrolein and acrolein to acryHc acid were prepared from bismuth, cobalt, kon, nickel, tin salts, and molybdic, molybdic phosphoric, and molybdic siHcic acids. Preferred second-stage catalysts generally are complex oxides containing molybdenum and vanadium. Other components, such as tungsten, copper, tellurium, and arsenic oxides, have been incorporated to increase low temperature activity and productivity (39,45,46). 

The tert-huty hydroperoxide is then mixed with a catalyst solution to react with propylene. Some TBHP decomposes to TBA during this process step. The catalyst is typically an organometaHic that is soluble in the reaction mixture. The metal can be tungsten, vanadium, or molybdenum. Molybdenum complexes with naphthenates or carboxylates provide the best combination of selectivity and reactivity. Catalyst concentrations of 200—500 ppm in a solution of 55% TBHP and 45% TBA are typically used when water content is less than 0.5 wt %. The homogeneous metal catalyst must be removed from solution for disposal or recycle (137,157). Although heterogeneous catalysts can be employed, elution of some of the metal, particularly molybdenum, from the support surface occurs (158). References 159 and 160 discuss possible mechanisms for the catalytic epoxidation of olefins by hydroperoxides. 

Olefin metathesis is the transition-metal-catalyzed inter- or intramolecular exchange of alkylidene units of alkenes. The metathesis of propene is the most simple example in the presence of a suitable catalyst, an equilibrium mixture of ethene, 2-butene, and unreacted propene is obtained (Eq. 1). This example illustrates one of the most important features of olefin metathesis its reversibility. The metathesis of propene was the first technical process exploiting the olefin metathesis reaction. It is known as the Phillips triolefin process and was run from 1966 till 1972 for the production of 2-butene (feedstock propene) and from 1985 for the production of propene (feedstock ethene and 2-butene, which is nowadays obtained by dimerization of ethene). Typical catalysts are oxides of tungsten, molybdenum or rhenium supported on silica or alumina [ 1 ]. 

A new catalyst formulation containing alkali metals and W on a silica support gives more promising results.549 Alkali metals are able to lower the phase transition temperature from amorphous silica to a-crystoballite, shown to be critically important for an effective catalyst, while incorporation of W enhances catalytic activity to ensure high methane conversion and excellent ethylene selectivity. An alkali-stabilized tungsten oxo species is thought to be the active site. 

Solid catalysts can be used at elevated temperatures, though their acidities are much weaker than those of liquid ones. From this point of view, solid superacids based on Lewis acids and liquid superacids discussed in Sections II—1V are not sufficiently stable Nafion-H is also unsatisfactory, its maximum operating temperature being below 200°C. A new type of the sulfate-supported metal oxides is more stable because of preparatory heat treatment at high temperatures, but elimination of the sulfate is sometimes observed during reaction, thus it is hoped to synthesize superacids with the system of metal oxides. Another type of superacid, tungsten or molybdenum oxide supported on zirconia, has been prepared by a new preparation method, and its stability is satisfactory so far. It is hoped that the preparation method will be extensively applied to other metal oxides for new solid superacids. 

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