REGENERATION OF CATALYST

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To regenerate a supported molybdenum catalyst for epimerization on the spot without moving the catalyst by interrupting the supply of a saccharide aqueous solution to the catalyst and treating the catalyst with an oxidizing agent to recover the catalytic activity. SOLUTION: A macroporous strongly basic anion exchange is immersed in an aqueous solution containing sodium molybudate for 12 hr, and a trace amount of hydrogen peroxide is added into the sodium molybudate solution of pH 3.5. The supported catalyst is produced by making a carrier contact the aqueous solution of the molybdenum compound at room temperature for an enough time for the carrier to support a desired amount of the catalyst. Saccharide, for example, a solution to be supplied to the catalyst has a solid content of 10-60 wt.%, and an epimerization reaction can be implemented at 70-160 deg.C and at pH 0.5-7 of the supplied solution. The regeneration of the catalyst is repeated several times, before the final activity of the catalyst becomes too low to be used.