Process for improving activity of tellurium containing metal oxide catalysts

摘要

A process for improving the activity of tellurium containing metal oxide catalysts useful as catalysts for oxidation, ammoxidation or oxidative dehydrogenation of organic compounds by heating the catalysts together with a tellurium containing solid and an optional molybdenum containing solid to a temperature up to about 900 DEG C. in a gaseous atmosphere. The process can be effectively applied to deteriorated or spent catalysts, the activity of which has been deteriorated due to use for a long period of time. The tellurium containing solid used as an activity improving agent is elemental tellurium and the molybdenum containing solid is selected from the group consisting of (i) a molybdenum compound, (ii) at least one molybdenum compound supported on an inert carrier, and (iii) a molybdenum enriched catalyst prepared by adding a Mo component to a metal oxide catalyst (which may be a fresh catalyst or a deteriorated catalyst). In a particularly preferred embodiment, the process for improving the activity according to the present invention can be carried out by contacting the deteriorated tellurium containing metal oxide catalyst with the elemental tellurium and optional molybdenum-containing solid in a fluidized-bed. More preferably, the contact is carried out during the oxidation, ammoxidation or oxidative dehydrogenation reaction.