Catalysis Letters, Vol.69, No.3-4, 237-240, 2000
Effect of CO2 addition as an oxidant on the catalytic activity of K/MgO for acrylonitrile synthesis
The catalytic behavior of magnesium oxide doped with potassium oxide was investigated for acrylonitrile formation from acetonitrile and methanol. CO2 was applied as a mild oxidant. Under this oxidative condition, the reaction proceeded via an oxidative dehydrogenation pathway resulting in the increase of both acetonitrile conversion and acrylonitrile selectivity compared with the reaction under a non-oxidative condition.