M/BCS (M = Ni, Co; BCS = 30 mol% BaCl₂/Sm₂O₃): Effective catalysts for the partial oxidation of ethane to a feedstock gas suitable for ethene hydroformylation

The M (M - NJ, Co)-loaded BaCl₂-promoted Sm₂O₃ (BCS) catalysts have been investigated for the partial oxidation of ethane to a feedstock gas suitable for ethene hydroformylation. It is found that at a temperature of 700 °C and a C₂H₆/O₂ molar ratio of 2/1, the product mixtures over 5 wt% Ni/BCS and 7 wt% Co/BCS were with C₂H₄/CO/H₂ and C₂H₄/CO_x/H₂ (CO_x = CO + CO₂) molar ratios close to 1/1/1 at a contact time of 1.19 × 10^-4 h g ml^-1 and close to 1/1/2 at a contact time of 2.78 × 10^-4 h g ml^-1. It is suggested that, besides reaction conditions, defect structures, M loading, and M dispersion of the catalysts are governing factors for the generation of the required feedstock gas.