Modification of vanadium phosphorus oxides used for n-butane oxidation to maleic anhydride by interaction with niobium phosphate

A new family of vanadium phosphorus oxides (VPO) catalysts has been identified. It consists in a mixture of VPO with niobium phosphate (NbPO). The amorphous NbPO material is introduced during the preparation of the VOHPO₄·0.5H₂O precursor. It is observed that the VPO–NbPO catalyst is more rapidly activated and gives better performances (n-butane conversion and maleic anhydride selectivity) for mild oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride. VPO phases and the NbPO material have been identified in the VPO–NbPO precursor and in the VPO–NbPO catalyst. Nb in VPO crystals and V in NbPO particles have been respectively observed by EDX-STEM. No other VPO crystals than the VOHPO₄, 0.5H₂O precursor, and (VO)₂P₂O₇ for the catalyst, have been identified by XRD and ³¹P NMR. ³¹P NMR by spin echo mapping and ³¹P MAS NMR have confirmed an interaction of the VPO precursor with Nb and of the NbPO amorphous material with V, as evidenced by EDX-STEM. This should be the reason for the observed improvement of the catalytic results by a redox effect of niobium on the VPO catalyst modifying the V⁵⁺/V⁴⁺ balance in a favourable way.