Recent Advances in Catalytic Conversion of C.sub.5/C.sub.6 Alkanes to Olefins: A Review

Light naphtha (C.sub.5-C.sub.6 alkanes) is commonly used as a feedstock for steam cracking or catalytic cracking to produce ethylene and propylene. This paper summarizes the progress of C.sub.5/C.sub.6 alkanes steam cracking and catalytic cracking, but the key problem of the above method is the high yield of low-value C.sub.1-C.sub.3 alkanes. When C.sub.5/C.sub.6 olefin is used as the feedstock of catalytic cracking, the ethylene and propylene yields are high, while the C.sub.1-C.sub.3 alkanes yield is low. It is of scientific value to dehydrogenate the C.sub.5/C.sub.6 alkanes into the corresponding olefins, and effectively convert the olefins into ethylene and propylene. This paper reviews recent progress of direct catalytic dehydrogenation and oxidative dehydrogenation of C.sub.5/C.sub.6 alkanes, and points out that the key is to develop C.sub.5/C.sub.6 alkanes dehydrogenation catalyst for selective preparation of corresponding mono-olefins. The main issues about how to develop highly selective C.sub.5/C.sub.6 alkanes dehydrogenation catalysts are proposed.