Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane over boron-containing chabazite

We report that boron -containing zeolite chabazite (B-CHA) catalyzes the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ODHE) with high selectivity (>70 %) and excellent stability in the temperature range of 500-600 degrees C. ODHE rates, in fact, increase over time on stream. Ethane consumption rate has an apparent activation energy of 126 kJ mol(-1), with Langmuirian dependence on the oxygen partial pressure and first-order dependence on the ethane partial pressure. Investigation of the catalyst before and after reaction by one-dimensional B-11 magic angle spinning (1D B-11 MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), two-dimensional B-11 multiple quantum MAS (2D B-11 MQMAS) NMR spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy identifies the B-OH group in defect trigonal boron (B(OSi)(OH)(2)) as the species initiating the ODHE reaction. This result could open a pathway to develop suitable catalysts for industrial ethylene production with lower greenhouse gas emissions than current non -oxidative dehydrogenation routes.