Vanadium Oxo Organometallic Species Supported on Silica for the Selective Non-oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane

The molecular complex [V(O)(Mes)3] (1) reacts with silica partially dehydroxylated at 700 °C (SiO2‑700) to afford [(SiO)V(O)(Mes)2] (2) as the major surface species, while a bis-grafted surface species [(SiO)2V(O)(Mes)] (3) is obtained on SiO2‑200. These surface species were characterized by DRIFT, Raman, 1H, 13C, and 51V solid-state NMR, and XAFS spectroscopy and show an activity in the non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane at 500 °C. The bipodal surface organometallic complex displays a higher selectivity in propylene in comparison to the monopodal species.