Preferential formation of 1-butene as a precursor of 2-butene in the induction period of ethene homologation reaction on reduced MoO3/SiO2 catalyst

Ethene homologation reaction to give propene (3C2H4 → 2C3H6) was examined on reduced molybdena silica (MoO3/SiO2) catalyst at initial ethene pressure around 14.66 kPa (110 mmHg) and a temperature of 30 °C. In the very first stage of the ethene homologation reaction, induction period was observed as well as previous results reported in the references. During the induction period, ethene dimerization providing 1-butene was preferentially occurred. In addition, it was indicated that isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene was retarded by the presence of excess ethene as a raw material. Therefore, it might be considered that the induction period of the ethene homologation reaction on the reduced MoO3/SiO2 catalyst might be caused by insufficiency of 2-butene to promote reverse propene metathesis (CH2=CH2+CH3-CH=CH-CH3 → 2CH2=CH-CH3).