Hydrotalcite-like compounds as precursors for mixed oxides catalysts in the oxydehydrogenation of ethylbenzene

The dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene is a very important industrial reaction due to the multiple applications of styrene as a monomer for synthetic polymers. Reported catalysts that are active and selective in the oxidative dehydrogenation of alkylaromatics include supported metals through both main group and transition metal oxides to polymers and activated carbons. However, most of these catalysts are acid oxides, inducing the formation of an active coke layer that is the actual catalyst. We report in this work the use of various hydrotalcite-like compounds as precursors for the preparation of mixed oxides which are then used as basic catalysts in the oxydehydrogenation reaction. A series of materials has been synthesised by coprecipitation at constant pH and fully characterised by usual analytical techniques. The catalytic screening tests were carried out in a fixed bed quartz reactor at a temperature of 450°C and the liquid products were analysed off-line by gas chromatography. Some particularities of these materials are brought forward, like the absence of coking which however, does not seem to affect the activity, thus suggesting a different mechanism; the results show high selectivity in styrene, while the activity of the catalysts needs some improvements. For example, with vanadium containing oxides a selectivity of 98% in styrene is achieved with a conversion of 38% in ethylbenzene.