Edge‐hydroxylated Boron Nitride for Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane to Propylene. Issue 10 (6th April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shi, Lei; Wang, Dongqi; Song, Wei; Shao, Dan; Zhang, Wei‐Ping; Lu, An‐Hui
• Is Part Of: ChemCatChem. Volume 9:Issue 10(2017)
• Page Start: 1788
• Page End: 1793
• Publication Date: 2017-04-06
• Subjects: boron -- dehydrogenation -- hydrocarbons -- hydroxylation -- nitrides; Catalysis -- Periodicals; 541.39505
• DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201700004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1867-3880

Abstract

Abstract: Oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to olefins is a promising alternative route to industrialized direct dehydrogenation, but encounters the difficulty in selectivity control for olefins because of the overoxidation reactions that produce a substantial amount of undesired CO2 . Here we report edge‐hydroxylated boron nitride, a metal‐free catalyst, that efficiently catalyzed dehydrogenation of propane to propylene with superior selectivity (80.2 %) but with only negligible CO2 formation (0.5 %) at a given propane conversion of 20.6 %. Remarkable stability was evidenced by the operation of a 300 h test with steady conversion and product selectivity. The active BNO . site, generated dynamically through hydrogen abstraction of B−OH groups by molecular oxygen, triggered propane dehydrogenation by selectively breaking the C−H bond but simultaneously shut off the pathway of propylene overoxidation towards CO2 . Abstract : Olefin generation without a metal : Edge‐hydroxylated boron nitride shows superior selectivity for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propylene with only negligible CO2 formation. The dynamically generated active BNO . site triggers propane dehydrogenation by selectively breaking the C−H bond by concomitantly avoiding propylene oxidation to CO2 .