SYNTHESIS OF ACETIC ACID BY CATALYTIC OXIDATION OF BUTENES - 1. OXIDATION OF n-BUTENES AND ISOBUTENE TO ACETIC ACID OVER BINARY OXIDE CATALYSTS CONTAINING VANADIUM PENTOXIDE.

The probability of acetic acid synthesis from n-butenes and isobutene was studied with V//2O//5-binary catalysts. As a second component, following atoms were added to V//2O//5 in the form of oxide or metal: Rh, B, Cr, Nb, Zn, Pd, Ta, Zr, Si, Ni, Ge, fe, Ca, Pt, W, Li, Cd, As, Co, Te, Mg, Mn, Mo, Cu, Ag, P, Ba, Ti, Sn, Al, and Sb. In the presence of water, n-butenes and isobutene were oxidized to acetic acid with more than 40% selectivity based on the carbon atom at about 100% conversion of each butene with air containing 3% of butene over V-Cr(3/7), V-Rh(8/2), V-B(5/5) and V-Nb(5/5) catalysts at 270 approximately 310 C.