# US 2014/0194631 A1 · High Pore Volume VPO Catalyst for Maleic Anhydride Production > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194631 A1 - Document ID: US20140194631A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/204,730 - Filed: 2014-03-11 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2008-10-21 - Assignees: Huntsman Petrochemical Corporation - Applicants: Huntsman Petrochemical LLC - Inventors: Zhiping Shan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194631A1 ## CPC - B01J 27/198: Vanadium - B01J 35/613: {10-100 m2/g} - B01J 35/633: {less than 0.5 ml/g} - B01J 35/66: Pore distribution - B01J 35/69: bimodal - B01J 37/0018: {Addition of a binding agent or of material, later completely removed among others as result of heat treatment, leaching or washing,(e.g. forming of pores; protective layer, desintegrating by heat)} - B01J 37/06: Washing {(B01J37/0009, B01J37/0018 take precedence)} - C07C 51/215: of saturated hydrocarbyl groups - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention disclose improved micro-pore catalyst structures containing catalytic material comprised of mixed oxides of vanadium and phosphorus and using such improved micro-pore catalyst structures for the production of maleic anhydride. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catalyst for the catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons to produce a carboxylic acid anhydride comprising an active VPO catalyst, wherein the active VPO catalyst is characterized by: (i) having a total pore volume, micro-pores and a micro-pore volume, wherein the micro-pores are pores on the active VPO catalyst that each have a pore diameter of 0.6 microns or less; (ii) optionally having macro-pores, wherein the macro-pores are pores on the active VPO catalyst that each have an individual pore diameter from above 0.6 microns to 10 microns; (iii) the micro-pore volume is at least 0.2 cc/g and comprises at least about 55% of the total pore volume; and (iv) the total pore volume is at least 0.27 cc/g. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catalyst according to claim 1 wherein the micro-pore volume is at least 0.2 cc/g and comprises at least about 90% of total pore volume and wherein the total pore volume is at least 0.25 cc/g. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The catalyst according to claim 1 wherein the active VPO catalyst has a pore size distribution plot having a first intensive peak that corresponds to the micro-pores and optionally a second intensive peak that corresponds to the macro-pores. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The catalyst according to claim 1 wherein the active VPO catalyst has a phosphorus/vanadium atom ratio of from about 1.00 to about 1.15. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The catalyst according to claim 1 wherein the active VPO catalyst has a B.E.T. surface area of at least about 20 m2/g. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catalyst according to claim 1 wherein the active VPO catalyst has an average vanadium oxidation state from about 3.90 to about 4.25. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The catalyst according to claim 1 wherein the active VPO catalyst has a normalized apparent shaped body density of between about 1.0 g/cc and about 2.0 g/cc. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The catalyst according to claim 1 wherein the active VPO catalyst further comprises a promoter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The catalyst according to claim 1 wherein the active VPO catalyst comprises a cylinder, a cored cylinder, a sphere, a pellet, a trilobe, a quadrolobe, a bead, a ring, a tablet or an irregular shape. ### Claim 10 A process for preparing maleic anhydride comprising reacting a hydrocarbon having at least four carbons in a straight chain with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an active VPO catalyst having a micro-pore volume of at least 0.2 cc/g. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The process according to claim 10 wherein the hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of a saturated hydrocarbon, an unsaturated hydrocarbon, a cyclic hydrocarbon, an aromatic hydrocarbon and a mixture thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The process according to claim 10 wherein the hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of n-butane, 1-butene, 2-butene, benzene and a mixture thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The process according to claim 10 wherein the reaction occurs at a temperature ranging from 300° C. to 600° C., a space velocity ranging from about 100 hr−1 to about 4000 hr−1, and a pressure ranging from subatmospheric pressure to superatmospheric pressure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The process according to claim 10 wherein the reaction occurs at a temperature ranging from about 325° C. to 450° C., a space velocity ranging from about 1000 hr−1 to 3000 hr−1 and a pressure ranging from about 1.013×10−2 kPa-gauge to about 3.45×10−2 kPa-gauge. ### Claim 15 Maleic anhydride produced by the process of reacting a hydrocarbon having at least four carbons in a straight chain with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an active VPO catalyst, wherein the active VPO catalyst is characterized by: (i) having a total pore volume, micro-pores and a micro-pore volume, wherein the micro-pores are pores on the active VPO catalyst that each have a pore diameter of 0.6 microns or less; (ii) optionally having macro-pores, wherein the macro-pores are pores on the active VPO catalyst that each have an individual pore diameter from above 0.6 microns to 10 microns; (iii) the micro-pore volume is at least 0.2 cc/g and comprises at least about 55% of the total pore volume; and (iv) the total pore volume is at least 0.27 cc/g.