Chromium alumina catalysts for paraffin dehydrogenation

A method for dehydrogenation of an alkane, the method comprising:

• loading a reactor with a dehydrogenation catalyst produced by:
• providing a transition alumina support derived from a plurality of aluminium hydroxides, the plurality of aluminium hydroxides containing about 85 weight percent (wt. %) to about 99 wt. % of crystalline aluminium trihydroxide and about 1 wt. % to about 15 wt. % of crystalline aluminium oxide-hydroxide or gelatinous aluminium hydroxide or combinations thereof;
• contacting the alumina support with a water-soluble chromium(III) oxide source and an alkali metal oxide source to provide an impregnated alumina support;
• and
• drying and calcining the impregnated alumina support to produce an alkane dehydrogenation catalyst containing about 60 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of alumina, about 5 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of the chromium(III) oxide, and about 0.1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of the alkali metal oxide;
• and
• supplying a feed containing an alkane through the reactor at a temperature sufficient to dehydrogenate the alkane and produce an olefin.