Oxydative dehydrogenation of paraffins

A process for the oxidative dehydrogenation of one or more C2-10 alkanes comprising contacting said alkane with a bed of oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst on an inert support and a regenerable metallic oxidant composition at a temperature from is 300° C. to 700° C., a pressure from 0.5 to 100 psi (3.447 to 689.47 kPa) and a residence time of the alkane in said bed of less than 2 seconds, wherein the oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst is selected from the group consisting of:

• i) catalysts of the formula:
• NixAaBbDdOe
• wherein
• x is a number from 0.1 to 0.9, preferably from 0.3 to 0.9, most preferably from 0.5 to 0.85, most preferably 0.6 to 0.8;
• a is a number from 0.04 to 0.9;
• b is a number from 0 to 0.5;
• d is a number from 0 to 0.0.5;
• e is a number to satisfy the valence state of the catalyst;
• A is selected from the group consisting Ti, Ta, V, Nb, Hf, W, Y, Zn, Zr, Si and Al or mixtures thereof;
• B is selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Sb, Sn, Bi, Pb, TI, In, Te, Cr, Mn, Mo, Fe, Co, Cu, Ru, Rh, Pd, Pt, Ag, Cd, Os, Ir, Au, Hg, and mixtures thereof;
• D is selected from the group consisting of Ca, K, Mg, Li, Na, Sr, Ba, Cs, and Rb and mixtures thereof;
• and
• O is oxygen;
• and
• ii) catalysts of the formula
• MOfXgYh
• wherein
• X is selected from the group consisting of Ba, Ca, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta, Ti, Te, V, W and mixtures thereof;
• Y is selected from the group consisting of Bi, Ce, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, V, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Si, Sn, Ti, U, and mixtures thereof;
• f=1;
• g is 0 to 2;
• h=0 to 2, with the proviso that the total value of h for Co, Ni, Fe and mixtures thereof is less than 0.5;
• and
• mixtures thereof to provide a weight ratio of oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst to metallic oxidant from 0.5:1 to 2:1 and said metallic oxidant is selected from the group consisting of NiO, Ce2O3, Fe2O3, TiO2, Cr2O3, V2O5, WO3 and mixtures thereof and mixtures of such oxides and aluminum in a weight ratio from 0.5:1 to 1:1.5.