Process for regenerating a catalyst bed deactivated in the course of a heterogeneously catalyzed partial dehydrogenation of a hydrocarbon

A process for regenerating a catalyst bed deactivated in the course of a heterogeneously catalyzed partial dehydrogenation of a hydrocarbon to be dehydrogenated to a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon, which comprises, over a period t, the passage of a regeneration gas comprising molecular oxygen and inert gas but no hydrocarbon at elevated temperature through the deactivated catalyst bed with the proviso that the total content GA of carbon oxides in the regeneration gas passed through the catalyst bed, when it exits from the catalyst bed, is at least temporarily greater in the course of the regeneration over the period t than the corresponding content GE, in each case expressed in % by volume of the regeneration gas volume, of the same regeneration gas passed through the catalyst bed when it enters the catalyst bed, and the difference ΔG=GA−GE passes through a maximum value ΔGmax by the end of the regeneration process, wherein

• a) 0.2% by volume≦ΔGmax≦5% by volume and
• b) the content of molecular oxygen in the regeneration gas to be passed through the catalyst bed, expressed in % by volume of the regeneration gas volume, is increased at least three times during the period t up to the end of the regeneration process and each increase is at least 2% by volume.