Silica-supported heteropoly acids as catalysts for low-temperature dehydration of 1-butanol in the gas phase: Application and mechanistic insight

Almutairi, Ohud, Alasmari, Amal, Al-Faze, Rawan, Kozhevnikova, Elena F and Kozhevnikov, Ivan V ORCID: 0000-0003-2453-5256 (2026) Silica-supported heteropoly acids as catalysts for low-temperature dehydration of 1-butanol in the gas phase: Application and mechanistic insight MOLECULAR CATALYSIS, 591. 115713-. ISSN 2468-8231

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Abstract

Dehydration of 1-butanol primarily produces n-butene isomers, key olefinic feedstocks in the chemical industry. The reaction was studied in the gas phase using silica-supported Keggin heteropoly acids (HPAs) H<inf>3</inf>PW<inf>12</inf>O<inf>40</inf> (HPW) and H<inf>4</inf>SiW<inf>12</inf>O<inf>40</inf> (HSiW) as solid acid catalysts. The HPA catalysts were benchmarked against zeolites, such as H-ZSM-5, H-Mordenite and HY, the established catalysts for alcohol dehydration. The HPA catalysts were found to exhibit significantly higher activity and performance stability than zeolites. 25% HPW/SiO<inf>2</inf> and 25% HSiW/SiO<inf>2</inf> catalysts produced n-butene isomers at 130 °C with 99% selectivity (1-butene (8.4%) < cis-2-butene (30.3%) < trans-2-butene (61.3%)) at 99% conversion of 1-butanol and maintained stable performance for at least 24 h. The HPA-catalysed dehydration of 1-butanol followed the Langmuir rate equation, becoming zero-order in 1-butanol at partial pressures ≥1 kPa. A positive correlation between catalyst acid strength and reaction turnover rates was established. Evidence was provided that the reaction proceeds via a surface-type mechanism through an E2 elimination pathway.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1-Butanol, Dehydration, Heteropoly acid, Zeolite, Butene selectivity
Divisions:	Faculty of Science & Engineering Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Physical Sciences Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Physical Sciences > Chemistry
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	03 Feb 2026 16:00
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 11:59
DOI:	10.1016/j.mcat.2026.115713
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcat.2026.115713
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3196864
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