# US 2013/0253249 A1 · Dehydrogenation process

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- Number: US 2013/0253249 A1
- Document ID: US20130253249A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/991,311
- Filed: 2011-12-02
- Published: 2013-09-26
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-03
- Assignees: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
- Inventors: Xavier Elie Baucherel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130253249A1

## CPC

- C07C 5/3332: {with metal oxides or metal sulfides}
- B01J 21/04: Alumina
- B01J 21/063: {Titanium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof}
- B01J 21/066: {Zirconium or hafnium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof}
- B01J 21/12: Silica and alumina
- B01J 21/18: Carbon
- B01J 21/185: {Carbon nanotubes (carbon nanotubes per se C01B32/15)}
- B01J 27/20: Carbon compounds
- B01J 27/224: Silicon carbide
- B01J 37/08: Heat treatment {(B01J37/0009, B01J37/0018 take precedence)}
- B01J 37/16: Reducing
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B01J 2235/00: Indexing scheme associated with group B01J35/00, related to the analysis techniques used to determine the catalysts form or properties
- C07C 2521/04: Alumina
- C07C 2521/06: Silicon, titanium, zirconium or hafnium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof
- C07C 2521/08: Silica
- C07C 2521/12: Silica and alumina
- C07C 2521/18: Carbon
- C07C 2523/22: Vanadium
- Y02P 20/52: using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A method of dehydrogenating a hydrocarbon, especially an alkane, to form an unsaturated compound, especially an alkene, includes contacting the alkane with a catalyst including a form of carbon which is catalytically active for the dehydrogenation reaction. The catalyst may be formed by passing a hydrocarbon over a catalyst precursor at an elevated temperature for sufficient time to form the active carbon phase, characterized in that the catalyst precursor includes less than 0.1% of a transition metal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for dehydrogenation of a hydrocarbon comprising the step of contacting a hydrocarbon with a catalyst precursor consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, magnesia, zirconia, titania, ceria, silica-alumina, carbon black and mixtures of these materials and containing <0.1% by weight of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo, Ni, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru or Rh at a temperature greater than 600° C. for a period of at least an hour.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said dehydrogenation reaction is carried out substantially in the absence of oxygen.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said elevated temperature is in the range from 650-750° C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said catalyst precursor is activated by contact with said hydrocarbon-containing gas at a temperature between 680 and 750° C. for at least 30 minutes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A process according to claim 4, wherein following said activation, the dehydrogenation is continued at a temperature which is different from the temperature of the activation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A process according to claim 5, wherein following said activation, the dehydrogenation is continued at a temperature which is less than the temperature of the activation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein at least 5% of the catalyst, by weight, comprises carbon formed by passing said hydrocarbon-containing gas over said catalyst precursor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said catalyst precursor comprises <0.05% by weight of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo, Ni, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru or Rh.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A process according to claim 1, wherein said hydrocarbon comprises an alkane having from 2 to 24 carbon atoms and which is dehydrogenated to form an alkene.

### Claim 10

A method of forming a catalyst for the dehydrogenation of alkanes, comprising the step of contacting a catalyst precursor consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, magnesia, zirconia, titania, ceria, silica-alumina, carbon black and mixtures of these materials and containing <0.1% by weight of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo, Ni, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru or Rh with a hydrocarbon at a temperature between 650 and 750° C.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A catalyst formed by the method claimed in claim 10.

### Claim 12

A catalyst consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, magnesia, zirconia, titania, ceria, silica-alumina, carbon black and mixtures of these materials, and a carbon species, which, when analysed using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, shows a signal having a peak maximum at a magnetic field strength in the range from 3330-3360 G and a ΔH of >10 G.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A catalyst according to claim 12, wherein said electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy signal has a ΔH of >50 G.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

A catalyst according to claim 12 wherein said electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy signal has a g-value in the range from 3380-3385 G.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

A catalyst according to claim 12 containing <0.05% by weight of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo, Ni, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru or Rh.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

A process according to claim 2, wherein said elevated temperature is in the range from 650-750° C.

### Claim 17 (depends on 2)

A process according to claim 2, wherein said catalyst precursor is activated by contact with said hydrocarbon-containing gas at a temperature between 680 and 750° C. for at least 30 minutes.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

A catalyst according to claim 13, wherein said electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy signal has a g-value in the range from 3380-3385 G.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

A catalyst according to claim 13, containing <0.05% by weight of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo, Ni, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru or Rh.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

A catalyst according to claim 14, containing <0.05% by weight of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo, Ni, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru or Rh.