Hexane-carbon dioxide reaction catalyzed by alkaline earth oxides. I. Catalytic Behaviour and Intermediate

The hexane-carbon dioxide reaction was carried out at 1173 K in order to study the catalytic properties of alkaline earth oxides and the reaction intermediate for the gasification. The catalytic activities of these oxides depended upon both the nature of the alkaline earth and the starting material. Magnesium oxide, prepared from the basic carbonate or calcium oxide, showed high catalytic activity, whereas strontium and barium oxides were inactive due to an inability to form the carbonaceous intermediate. Hexane was thermally decomposed in the gas phase to give C₁C₃ hydrocarbons, hydrogen and a carbon precursor. C₁C₃ hydrocarbons scarcely interacted with the catalyst. The carbon precursor was captured by the active catalyst to give carbon which was the intermediate for catalytic gasification.