Double perovskite Pr(2-x)Bi(x)Sr(2)O(6) (x = 0.533) in ketonization of 1-butanol: Effect of water vapor addition

An effective ketonization of 1-butanol mixed with water vapor over the catalyst Pr(1.467)Bi(0.533)Sr(2)O(5.928) of monoclinically distorted perovskite structure is reported. The catalyst is characteristic of 1.2 at.% of oxygen vacancies, supposed to act as active centers of Lewis type, and of a high oxidative ability reflected by large change in the catalyst's effective valence factor (V-3). The ketonization performed without water addition is accompanied with total carbonization of 1-butanol, caused by the catalyst's oxygen, the latter easily releasable beginning from low temperatures. This negative effect is practically removable if the process is performed under the presence of water vapor. It is also found that water addition influences the formation of C(3)H(7)-CH[double bond; length as m-dash]O aldehyde and of C(3)H(7)-CO-C(3)H(7) ketone. Nevertheless, water addition leads to a steady destruction of the catalyst's crystal structure because of CO(2), appearing in course of the WGSR process, and of its subsequent reaction with the structure component SrO to SrCO(3). The catalyst is found easily reproducible by its re-oxidation in air at 850-900 'C.