Oxidation of propene on mixed oxides of copper and cobalt

The structural and catalytic properties of mixed oxides Cu1-xCo2+xO4, which are propene oxidation catalysts, have been studied. Cationic repartition in the octahedral and tetrahedral sites is found. The results indicate that, for x 0.70, the spinels are normal, and for x < 0.70, the spinels are partially inverse. Activities and selectivities for acrolein, determined by the pulse method, follow opposite trends. Additivity between the cationic catalytic properties is not found. The assumption that the surface Cu+ concentration is responsible for acrolein synthesis via an allylic process appears to be correct.