Selective skeletal isomerization of alkanes over partially reduced MoO₃

Abstract

The surface area and the pentane isomerization activity of Pt/MoO₃ were enlarged by H₂ reduction. The enlargements was observed only when the reduction proceeded through the formation of hydrogen molybdenum bronze, H_xMoO₃. The catalytic activities of H₂-reduced MoO₃ with different noble metals for pentane isomerization and 2-propanol dehydration depended on the ability of noble metal to produce the H_xMoO₃ phases. H₂-reduced Pt/MoO₃ was more active for pentane isomerization than Pt/Hβ, and its activity was comparable to that of Pt/HZSM-5. In heptane isomerization, H₂-reduced Pt/MoO₃ exhibited a lower activity than Pt/Hβ, although heptane was isomerized very selectively. Strong adsorption of heptane onto H₂-reduced Pt/MoO₃ is likely to be a reason for its lower heptane isomerization activity.