Activity of surface species of (VO)2P2O7 in the oxidation of n-butane

The factors for the activity of (VO)2P2O7 catalysts in n-butane oxidation are discussed on the basis of the number of surface functional species, i.e. the surface VO species. The activity for n-butane oxidation was only poorly correlated with the number of surface VO species. The turnover frequency based on the surface VO species was higher over (VO)2P2O7 prepared from organic media than that prepared from aqueous media, and it was correlated with the broadening of the (200) line in the XRD pattern. It is concluded that the activity of the surface VO species depends on the disorder of (VO)2P2O7 crystallites along the a axis which results in the promotion of the redox property of (VO)2P2O7.