Oxidation of Propylene Adsorbed on Metal Oxides. Oxygen Species in Catalytic Oxidation

Abstract
Adsorption of ethylene and propylene has been investigated volumetrically with various oxide catalysts. From the results together with those of oxidation of propylene adsorbed on oxides, it is concluded that the difference between the characteristics of oxidation of propylene adsorbed on the oxide catalysts for complete or selective oxidation is attributable to the difference in the oxygen species responsible for oxidation rather than that in the adsorbed state of propylene. A comparison of characteristics of the oxidation of adsorbed propylene in the presence of gaseous oxygen and in a vacuum suggests that on the catalysts for complete oxidation, adsorbed oxygen plays a significant role in the oxidation because of its higher activity as compared to that of lattice oxygen.