DECOMPOSITION OF 2-BUTANOL CATALYZED BY IRON OXIDE AND MIXED OXIDES CONTAINING IRON.

Three types of binary oxides, Fe//2O-TiO//2, Fe//2O//3-ZrO//2, and Fe//2O//3-ZnO, were prepared by a coprecipitation method, and their catalytic behaviors in the decomposition of 2-butanol were examined. The activities and selectivities of the catalysts varied with the type of the oxide with which Fe//2O//3 was combined, with the content of Fe//2O//3 in the binary oxides, and with the reduction temperature of the catalysts. Over the Fe//2O//3-TiO//2 catalysts, 2-butanol underwent primarily dehydration and the activity decreased with an increase in Fe//2O//3 content. Over the Fe//2O//3-ZnO catalysts, dehydrogenation preferentially occurred, the maximum activity being observed for the catalyst containing 67% Fe//2O//3. The Fe//2O//3-ZrO//2 catalysts exhibited an intermediate nature between the Fe//2O//3-TiO//2 catalysts and Fe//2O//3-ZnO catalysts.