2‐Butanol Dehydration over Highly Dispersed Molybdenum Oxide/ MCM ‐41 Catalysts

Highly dispersed MoO3 on SiMCM‐41 was applied to the dehydration of 2‐butanol. MoO3 /MCM‐41 catalysts were prepared using a modified atomic layer deposition method. The structural characteristics of MoO3 supported on SiMCM‐41 were examined by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, nitrogen adsorption, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The textural characteristics of SiMCM‐41 were retained after loading with MoO3 . Ammonia temperature‐programmed desorption and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine showed that Lewis acid sites were formed on the MoO3 /MCM‐41 catalysts. Among the MoO3 /MCM‐41 catalysts, the MoO3 (16.4 wt %)/MCM‐41 catalyst showed the highest catalytic activity for butene synthesis from 2‐butanol dehydration due to the largest number of acid sites.