Relationship between basicity, reducibility and partial oxidation properties of chromium containing MCM-41

MCM-41 mesoporous solids were modified with chromium species using Cr(NO 3 ) 3 and CrO 3 as precursors. The impact of metal amount and metal sources on the structural and textural parameters of the materials obtained was investigated. Their surface properties were analyzed using XRD, UV-Vis, H 2 -TPR (the state of Cr species) as well as test reactions (2-propanol decomposition and cyclization and dehydration of 2,5-hexsanedione). The catalytic activity of Cr/MCM-41 materials was tested in methanol partial oxidation. The relationships of reducibility, kind of chromium species, basicity of material surface and the catalysts performance in partial oxidation of methanol were examined and discussed. The impact of basicity on methanol oxidation was clearly documented. Di- and polychromate species were found to be responsible for high yields of formaldehyde. MCM-41 mesoporous solids were modified with chromium species using Cr(NO 3 ) 3 and CrO 3 as precursors.