Oxidation of propane over ammonium-transition metal mixed keggin phosphomolybdate salts

Mixed ammonium-transition metal salts with formula of (NH4)xMyHzPMo12O40 (M= Ni2+, Co2+ or Fe 3+) denoted as MPMo12 have been investigated for the oxidation of propane, with molecular oxygen, at temperature range between 380 ◦C and 420 ◦C after in-situ pre-treatment performed at two heating rate of 5 or 9 ◦C/min. They were characterized by BET method, XRD, UV-Vis and IR techniques. The catalysts were found to be active in the propane oxidation and selective to propene or acrolein, in particular for samples pre-treated with the heating rate of 9 ◦C/min. FePMo12 was found the more active catalyst for propene (17.2% yield) with minimal over deep oxidation (0.3% yield in COx).