| abstract |
The prior art discloses that phosphorus-vanadium-oxygen catalysts wherein the phosphorus to vanadium atom ratio is between about 1:2 and about 2:1, and wherein at least about 20 atom percent of the vanadium is in the tetravalent state, are useful for the conversion of aliphatic hydrocarbons to maleic anhydride. It has now been found that when the pore volume of the catalysts from pores having diameters between about 0.8 micron and about 10 microns is greater than 0.02 cc/g, the catalyst is particularly useful for the conversion of saturated hydrocarbons, such as butane, to maleic anhydride. |