Kinetics of the Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane over a VMgO Catalyst

The reaction kinetics of the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane was studied at 475-550℃over a VMgO catalyst. Vanadium-magnesium-oxides are among the most selective and active catalysts forthe dehydrogenation of propane to propylene. Selectivity to propylene up to about 60% was obtained at10% conversion, but the selectivity decreased with increasing conversion. No oxygenates were detected, theonly by-products were CO and CO2. The reaction rate of propane was found to be first order in propaneand close to zero order in oxygen, which is in agreement with a Mars van Krevelen mechanism with theactivation of the hydrocarbon as the rate determining step. The activation energy of the conversion ofpropane was found to be 122±6 kJ/mol.