Process and catalyst for dehydrogenation of organic compounds

TLDR: In this paper, the authors proposed a new catalyst composed of reduced and sulfided nickel crystallites on siliceous supports which have been treated with chromium compounds and oxidized to provide surface-anchored chromyl species.

Abstract: Alkanes are dehydrogenated by passage through alternating dehydrogenation zones and selective oxidation zone(s), in which latter zone(s) hydrogen produced in the preceding endothermic dehydrogenation reaction is selectively oxidized to generate heat for the succeeding dehydrogenation reaction. New catalyst compositions are prepared comprising reduced and sulfided nickel crystallites on siliceous supports which have been treated with chromium compounds and oxidized to provide surface-anchored chromyl species. Also new catalyst compositions are prepared by sulfiding nickel-containing compositions with carbonaceous sulfur compounds such as dialkylsulfoxides. Another embodiment of the invention is catalyst and dehydrogenation therewith, in which pores having radius of 50 to 200 Angstroms occupy pore volume from 0.30 to 1.50 ml per gram of the support, and pores having radius of 20 to 50 Angstroms occupy pore volume less than 0.1 ml per gram of the support. In another embodiment, alkanes are dehydrogenated using as catalyst a metal or metal compound having dehydrogenating activity supported on alkali-treated alumina.