Selective formation of acrylonitrile via oxidative methylation of acetonitrile with methane over superbasic catalysts

Abstract

Promotion of CaO or MgO with various binary alkali metal compounds such as NaA + CsA, KA + CsA, LiA + CsA or LiA + NaA, where A = SO₄^2–, OH^–, Cl^–, AcO^–, CO₃^2– or NO₃^–, leads to highly basic (superbasic) catalysts, which exhibit a noticeable synergistic effect compared with the effect produced by any monoalkali promoted system in the selective formation of acrylonitrile viaoxidative methylation of acetonitrile with methane.