| Abstract: | The H2S promoted oxidative dehydrogenation of butane to butadiene can be efficiently carried out if a molten salt medium, e.g. LiCl/KCl, is used to dissipate the heat from the highly exothermic reaction. The reaction is catalyzed by the addition of soluble salts such at Tl2O3, BaCl2 or MnCl2. Optimization of reaction conditions by varying temperature, space velocity and quantity of promoter results in a 53% olefin yield (5% butenes, 48% butadiene) at 80% butane conversion. The system is also shown to be efficient for the dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene, propane to propylene, butene to butadiene and ethylbenzene to styrene. |
