Catalytic oxidation of ethyl acetate over a cesium modified cryptomelane catalyst

Cryptomelane-type manganese oxide was synthesized by redox reaction under acid and reflux conditions. Cesium was incorporated into the tunnel structure by the ion-exchange technique. The catalytic oxidation of ethyl acetate in low concentration (1600 ppmv) was used to test the performance of the catalysts prepared. The presence of small amounts of cesium was found to improve the catalytic performance of cryptomelane. This behaviour was correlated with the basic properties of the catalyst. Temperature programmed experiments, and tests without oxygen in the feed, suggest that lattice oxygen atoms can react with ethyl acetate at low temperatures and are involved in the mechanism of ethyl acetate oxidation.