Gas-Phase Oxidation of Aqueous Ethanol by Nanoparticle Vanadia/Anatase Catalysts

The gas-phase oxidation of aqueous ethanol with dioxygen has been examined with a new nanoparticle V2O5/TiO2 catalyst. Product selectivity could to a large extent be controlled by small alterations of reaction parameters, allowing production of acetaldehyde at a selectivity higher than 90%, near quantitative conversion at 175-200 A degrees C. Furthermore, a selectivity above 80% for acetic acid could be achieved at low gas hourly space velocity at temperatures as low as 165 A degrees C.