Oxidation of propylene

Oxidation of propylene with air, using iron molybdate catalyst was studied for the possibility to produce propylene oxide. It was found that no homogeneous reaction took place at 390[degrees]C, and in the presence of the catalyst, propylene was oxidized into carbon dioxide, water, "acids", acetaldehyde and acrolein. No propylene oxide been detected even in trace amounts. By eluting propylene oxide in the feed gas, it was found that no homogeneous reaction took place at 300[degrees]C. In the presence ofthe catalyst, small conversion into acetaldehyde and acrolein at 200[degrees]C, and complete conversion into acetaldehyde and acrolein took place at 300[degrees]C, along with small conversion into carbon dioxide and water. The calculation of conversions using the conservation of nitrogen as inert gas, was found simple and accurate. The activation energy of about 27,000 cal/g-mole was found from the calculation based on the initial rates of propylene and oxygen respectively. The component of the product gas which is called "acids" is not properly identified, but mass spectrographic analysis shows the possibility of maleic and acrylic acids.