SiO2-supported VPO catalysts with different P/V ratios
were prepared, used in selective oxidation of butane,
and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser Raman spectroscopy
(LRS), near-edge X-ray absorption
spectroscopy (XANES), and 31P magic angle spinning NMR.
Similar to the SiO2-supported catalysts
of
lower metal loadings studied previously, the maleic anhydride
selectivity increased with increasing P/V ratio,
to greater than 50 mol % for P/V = 2. XRD and LRS detected
predominantly α1-VOPO4 or a phase that
is
structurally very similar for both P/V = 1 and P/V = 2 samples.
However, within the detection limit of the
XANES experiment, the P/V = 1 catalyst contained mostly
V5+ under reaction conditions, whereas the
P/V
= 2 catalyst contained 100% V4+.