2-Propanol Decomposition on Substituted Copper Aluminate Catalysts

Chemistry Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur-721 302 Manuscript received 27 March 1995, revised 29 December 1995, accepted 15 February 1996 Catalytic decomposition of propan-2-ol has been studied in the temperature range 473-673 K on CuAl2O4, Li2O impregnated CuAl2O4 and lithium, nickel and magnesium substituted CuAl2O4 catalysts. Selectivity of the catalyst towards dehydrogenation is increased by impregnation with Li due to an increase in the number of Cu2+ ions on the catalyst surface, which is the active site for dehydrogenation. The active sites for the dehydration process are the coordinatively unsaturated Al3+ ions of the catalyst