Effect of H2 reduction on the catalytic properties of molybdenum oxides for the conversions of heptane and 2-propanol Original Research Article

Conversions of heptane and 2-propanol were carried out using MoO3 reduced with H2 at 623 K. The parent MoO3 was inactive for the isomerization of heptane. H2 reduction, however, enhanced the isomerization activity, which became almost constant after reduction for 24 h. The reduced MoO3 exhibited a higher isomerization activity than 0.5 wt.% Pt/USY zeolite, while there was no appreciable difference in product distribution between these two catalysts. The catalytic activities of MoO3 for dehydration and dehydrogenation of 2-propanol also increased for longer periods of H2 reduction. NH3-TPD studies showed that the acidity of MoO3 was strongly affected by H2 reduction. We suggest from these results that H2 reduction of MoO3 at 623 K generated the bifunctional property, which was responsible for a high isomerization activity.