JPS6138176B

The problem exists of finding a simple, economic and straightforward process for the production of indene monomer. This problem is solved by making indene monomer and substituted indene monomers by a dehydrogenation process in which an indene precursor more saturated than indene is contacted with an oxygen donor with a phosphate catalyst. An oxygen donor is O2. The process is carried out a temperature above 100 DEG C. The phosphate catalyst is represented by the formula MaPxOy in which M is one or more elements selected from Mg, Sr, Ca, Ba, La, Ce, other rare earths, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sn, Pb, Bi, Te, B, Al, Rh, Sb, As, Ge, U, Th and Ru. In a representative Example a mixture of indane, approximately five parts of air and three parts of nitrogen for each part of indane vapour are fed to a reactor containing a phosphate catalyst and maintained at a temperature of 550 DEG C.