Catalysts for production of unsaturated aldehyde and unsaturated carboxylic acid and a process for producing unsaturated aldehyde and unsaturated carboxylic acid using the catalysts

A catalyst useful for catalyzing the oxidation of propylene, isobutylene, t-butanol or methyl-t-butyl or ether with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas to produce the corresponding unsaturated aldehyde and unsaturated carboxylic acid, said catalyst having a composition expressed by the following general formula (3):

• MoaWbBicFedCecZrfAgBhCiDjEkGlOx (3)
• wherein Mo represents molybdenum;
• W represents tungsten, Bi represents bismuth, Fe represents iron, Ce represents cerium;
• Zr represents zirconium;
• A represents at least one of nickel and cobalt;
• B represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkali metals and thallium;
• C represents at least one element selected from alkaline earth metal elements;
• D represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, tellurium, antimony, tin, lead, niobium, manganese, arsenic and zinc;
• E represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon, aluminum, and titanium;
• G represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of lanthanoide series elements other than cerium;
• yttrium, copper, indium, chromium, and germanium;
• and 0 represents oxygen;
• a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l and x denote the atomic ratios of Mo, W, Bi, Fe, Ce, Zr, A, B, C, D, E, G and 0, respectively;
• and when a is 12, b is 0-10, c is 0.1-10, d is 0.1-20, e is 0.01-30, f is 0.01-42, g is 2-20, h is 0.001-10, i is 0-10, j is 0-4, k is 0-30, l is 0-7, and x is a numerical value determined by degree of oxidation of each of the elements;
• and the cerium and zirconium therein forming a complex oxide.