| abstract |
Dehydration of a composition comprising 2,3-butanediol to methylvinylmethanol and/or 1,3-butadiene by exposure to a catalyst comprising (a) M x O y , wherein M is a rare earth A metal, a Group IIIA metal, Zr, or combinations thereof, and x and y are based on the oxidation state of M, or (b) M 3 a (PO 4 ) b , where M 3 is a Group IA, Group IIA metal, Group IIIA group metals or combinations thereof, and a and b are based on the oxidation state of M3. Embodiments of the catalyst comprising MxOy can further comprise M2 , wherein M2 is a rare earth metal, a Group IIA metal, Zr, Al, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, 2,3-butanediol is dehydrated to methylvinylmethanol and/or 1,3-butadiene over a catalyst comprising MxOy , and the methylvinylmethanol is subsequently exposed to It can be dehydrated into 1,3-butadiene with solid acid catalyst. |