Dehydrogenation of isobutane to isobutene over isolated VOx-species on MCM-41 under oxygen-lean conditions

Isolated VOx-species supported on MCM-41 prepared with V(t-BuO)3O were characterized by ICP-AES, BET, Raman, XRD and SEM. Isobutane dehydrogenation reactions were carried out under oxygen-lean, oxygen-free and oxygen-rich conditions to evaluate these synthesized catalysts. The results showed that the catalysts prepared with V(t-BuO)3O exhibited higher VOx dispersion than those prepared by impregnation with NH4VO3. Under oxygen-lean conditions, COx and coke formation were significantly suppressed. Isobutene yield above 40% and isobutene selectivity above 85% were achieved over MCM-41-supported isolated VOx species during at least 40 h on-stream combined oxidative and non-oxidative isobutane dehydrogenation.