Selective Oxidation of Methanol on Iron-Chromium-Molybdenum Oxide Catalysts

Parallel studies of FeMoO and FeCrMoO catalysts for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde have shown that they possess commensurable activities and selectivities, the FeCrMoO catalyst being more stable. Mossbauer, ESR and XRD studies revealed that upon reduction with methanol, both catalysts have different behaviour. The presence of Cr2(MoO4)3 in the FeCrMoO catalyst retards its reduction. Under the experimental conditions used, the main intermediate reduction product of the FeCrMoO catalyst is a-FeMoO4, while under identical conditions reduction of FeMoO leads to α-FeMoO4 and β-FeMoO4 phases.