Methanol oxidation over acidic supported WO₃ catalysts

The molecular structures of the WO₃ on three supports, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, and Nb₂O₅, catalysts were investigated by combining temperature programmed surface reaction and visible Raman spectroscopy. The absence of crystalline WO₃ particles was observed. The supported tungsten oxide phase were 100% dispersed on all three supports. These supported WO₃ catalysts exclusively possessed surface acidic characteristics. For the supported WO₃ catalysts, the products are dimethyl ether, CO, CO₂, methanol, H₂O, and HCHO and DMM were trace products. The turnover frequency values were related to the electronegativity of the support. The TOF for supported tungsten oxide catalysts decreased in the order Al₂O₃ > Nb₂O₅ > TiO₂. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 228th ACS National Meeting (Philadelphia, PA 8/22-26/2004).