Well-Defined Nb/SiO_2-500 Catalyst Active for Liquid/Gaseous Hydrocarbon Transformations

Reece Johnson, Keith Searles

University of Florida

The current scope of the hydrocarbon industry includes the implementation of a variety of heterogeneous catalysts. Benefits to these systems include catalyst thermal stability, renewability/recyclability, and the ability to withstand high-pressure batch and flow conditions. Though appealing in these aspects, many current industrial heterogeneous catalysts are based on precious metals and lack a means for rational improvement. They are ill-defined, containing either a low number of active sites, or in some cases unknown identity of active sites. Utilizing Surface Organometallic Chemistry (SOMC), the principles of both homogenous chemistry and heterogeneous chemistry can be linked together to produce well-defined, heterogeneous catalysts based on oxide supports from which structure-activity relationships can be readily developed. The characterization and reactivity of immobilized organometallic-niobium complexes on partially dehydroxylated silica will be discussed. The application of these materials under batch/flow conditions for both alkyl and olefinic hydrocarbon transformations will be described.