Dehydration of 2,3-butanediol to produce 1,3-butadiene over Sc2O3 catalyst prepared through hydrothermal aging

Vapor-phase catalytic dehydration of 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) to form 1,3-butadiene (BD) via 3-buten-2-ol (3B2OL) was studied over various single metal oxide catalysts. Among the catalysts, Sc2O3 prepared under hydrothermal (HT) conditions at 200 degrees C followed by 800 degrees C calcination showed the most excellent catalytic activity. The crystallization of precursor ScOOH during HT aging noticeably enhances the catalytic activity of the resulting Sc2O3 for the formation of 3B2OL in the dehydration of 2,3-BDO. The formation rate of 3B2OL from 2,3-BDO over the HT-aged Sc2O3 was twice as high as Sc2O3 without HT aging. Calcination temperatures of Sc2O3 are also important: calcination at 800 degrees C is efficient for the selective formation of 3B2OL from 2,3-BDO. The HT-aged Sc2O3 also showed an excellent catalytic activity for the formation of BD with the yield higher than 80% in the dehydration of 2,3-BDO at 411 degrees C.