The Mars and Van Krevelen model can be applied to all the steps of
the oxidation of isobutane
by oxygen over a heteropolyanion catalyst. The reaction scheme
includes both direct (from
isobutane) and indirect (via methacrolein) methacrylic acid production.
The determinant
multiresponse criterion has proved very efficient in the simultaneous
estimation of all parameters
of this complex model which perfectly fits the measured partial
pressures of isobutane,
methacrolein, and methacrylic acid in a large range of experimental
conditions. The reaction
of isobutane with the oxidized sites is the rate-limiting step of the
process. Temperature and
the oxygen-to-hydrocarbon ratio do not affect selectivities for the
main products. The methacrolein transformation is 50 times faster than the isobutane reaction but
is a factor of degradation,
whereas methacrylic acid is stable. To improve selectivity, the
transformation from isobutane
to methacrylic acid has to be favored. Moreover, a higher
propensity of catalysts for hydrocarbon
activation should increase productivity.
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