GB1010695A - Process for the production of alpha, beta unsaturated carbonyl compounds - Google Patents

Abstract

Alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds are prepared by contacting a liquid feed containg a monofunctional, aliphatic C2 to C20 aldehyde and/or ketone having at least two alpha hydrogen atoms at from 50 DEG to 600 DEG C. with a catalyst produced by reacting together at elevated temperature the trioxide of molybdenum and an oxide of magnesium or other compounds of these metals which produce these oxides at the elevated temperature. The catalyst may be utilized alone or in combination with a support or carrier, e.g. alumina, and, in a modified process, may also contain zinc oxide. In a further modification, the feed also comprises a monofunctional, aliphatic aldehyde or ketone, e.g. formaldehyde.ALSO:An amorphous spinel-type material is obtained by reacting together at an elevated temperature, generally 300 DEG to 1500 DEG F., the trioxide of molybdenium and an oxide of magnesium or other compounds of these metals which produce these oxides at the elevated temperature. If zinc oxide or a compound which produces zinc oxide at the elevated temperature is present the zinc oxide is physically entrapped in the spinel product formed. In an example, a spinel-type product is obtained by dry-mixing equimolar amounts of ammonium molybdate and magnesium oxide in powder form, adding water to form a paste, drying said paste at 400 DEG F. for 16 hours, pilling the crushed and ground product and finally calcining the pills at 1100 DEG F. for 16 hours. Similar processes for the preparation of zinc oxide containing products are also described.ALSO:A catalyst is prepared by reacting together at an elevated temperature, generally 300-1500 DEG F., the trioxide of molybdenum, an oxide of magnesium and zinc oxide or other compounds of these metals which produce these oxides at the elevated temperature. The catalyst may be utilized above or in combination with a support or carrier, especially alumina. In the examples, the catalyst is produced by (A) dry-mixing equimolar amounts of MoO3, MgO and ZnO in powder form, adding water to form a paste, drying said paste at 300 DEG F., pilling the crushed and ground product and calcining the pills at 1100 DEG F. for 16 hours, and (B) calcining alumina at 1000 DEG F. for 16 hours, impregnating the alumina with ammonium molybdate solution, drying the impregnated alumina at 250 DEG F. prior to calcining at 1000 DEG F. for 16 hours, impregnating the calcined product with magnesium nitrate solution, drying at 250 DEG F. prior to calcining at 850 DEG F. overnight, impregnating this calcined product with zinc nitrate solution, drying at 250 DEG F. and finally calcining the impregnated material at 850 DEG F. overnight.