The mechanism of catalytic ammoxidation of propane and propene over vanadium antimony oxides

The ammoxidation of propane and propene over V-Sb-O catalysts was studied using a vacuum transient technique. From the results gained it was concluded that the selective reaction to acrylonitrile occurs via the intermediate formation of propene, which is subsequently transformed into acrolein. Acrolein is converted into the nitrile via short-lived NHx-species (NH4+ or NH3,ads). These NHx as well as NOx, are also intermediates in the non-selective N-2 formation pathway.