Partial oxidation of propane over metal oxide catalysts pretreated with NO2

Titania pretreated with NO2 has been found to catalyze the partial oxidation of propene into oxygenates such as acetone and acrolein at around 623 K, while fresh TiO2 produces only carbon oxides. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) revealed that nitrogen oxides adsorbed on TiO2 are stable at temperatures below 673 K. Even after the propene oxidation at 573 K for 2 h, nitrogen oxides were confirmed still to exist on the TiO2 surface. At temperatures higher than 673 K, however, the desorption and/or the reduction of the adsorbed nitrogen oxides took place, and concomitantly the catalytic ability giving oxygenates disappeared.