Structure Sensitivity of 2,3-Butanediol Dehydration to Butadiene over Rare Earth Orthophosphate Catalysts

Summary

NdPO4 has been studied as a model rare earth phosphate catalyst for the dehydration of 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) to butadiene (BD), in order to understand the influence of structure and morphology on its catalytic properties. Rhabdophane and monazite polymorphic types of NdPO4 were shown to have similar catalytic properties. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that rhabdophane nanorods have a core–shell structure, with a rhabdophane core surrounded by monazite. This favors the exposure of the same sites, on the predominant lateral facets of the nanorods, to the catalytic gas mixture, thus explaining the observed similarities in catalytic properties. The specific catalytic properties of the tips and side facets of the nanorods were revealed through the use of silylation, followed by br