Catalytic performances of VPO/SBA-15 catalysts for ammoxidation of dichlorotoluenes.

Vanadium phosphorus oxide (VPO) was immobilized on SBA-15 via a facile impregnation process. The structure and VPO species on SBA-15 were characterized by XRD, TEM, BET, FTIR and XPS techniques. It was found the VPO/SBA-15 catalysts maintained the two-dimensional hexagonal structure of SBA-15, and the supported VPO species existed in a highly dispersed amorphous state. VPO/SBA-15 catalyst was tested for the ammoxidation of dichlorotoluenes (DCTs) to corresponding dichlorobenzonitriles (DCNs) in a lab-scale tube reactor. Compared with VPO/SiO2 (large-pore silica-supported VPO), VPO/SBA-15 exhibited appreciable enhancement in the catalytic performance due to the unique channel structure of SBA-15. The yield and selectivity toward 2,4-DCN increased by 7% and 6%, while toward the sterically hindered 2,6-DCN increased by 7% and 13%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]