CATALYTIC ACTIVITIES OF La²O₃, Y₂O₃, AND CeO₂ FOR DECOMPOSITION OF 4-HYDROXY-4-METHYL-2-PENTANONE AND ISOMERIZATION OF BUTENES.

The decomposition of 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone and the isomerization of 1-butene were carried out over La//2O//3, Y//2O//3, and CeO//2. The activities for both types of reactions were in the following order: La//2O//3 greater than Y//2O//3 greater than CeO//2. With La//2O//3, the change in the activity for the decomposition with the pretreatment temperature of the catalyst correlated well with the change in basicity, the activity and basicity maxima being observed when the catalyst was pretreated at 500 degree C. Yttrium sesquioxide showed a maximum activity for the decomposition when pretreated at 700 degree C. For the isomerizations of 1-butene and cis-2-butene, La//2O//3 exhibited activity maxima when pretreated at 700 degree C. This work is relevant to catalysts.