CH bond activation in the presence or absence of oxygen or nitrous oxide

The reaction of C₂H₆with lattice oxygen, O^2- (in the absence of gaseous oxygen), or “adsorbedℍ oxygen (in the presence of gaseous oxygen) over NiMoO₄ catalysts has been performed and compared to C₃H₈ activation. The results obtained indicate that adsorbed oxygen exhibits a higher reactivity to C₂H₆, while lattice oxygen is more reactive relative to C₃H₈. Kinetic studies of these two reactions in presence of molecular oxygen have indeed shown that the ethane oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) is dependent on the oxygen partial pressure, whilst on the contrary propane ODH is not. In order to confirm the presence of “adsorbed” oxygen for ethane activation, ODH tests have been performed with N₂O. On increasing temperature, the O^- adsorbed species enhances the mild oxidation of ethane. The activation energy of ethane consumption E_C2H6, relative to propane (E_C3H8 = 133 kJ/mol) is 145 kJ/mol. A possible mechanism is proposed for the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.