Discerning the Metal Doping Effect on Surface Redox and Acidic Properties in a MoVTeNbO for Propa(e)ne Oxidation.

Adding a small quantity of K or Bi to a MoVTeNbO via impregnation with inorganic solutions modifies its surface acid and redox properties and its catalytic performance in propa(e)ne partial oxidation to acrylic acid (AA) without detriment to its pristine crystalline structure. Bi-doping encourages propane oxydehydrogenation to propene, thus enlarging the net production rate of AA up to 35% more. The easier propane activation/higher AA production over the Bi-doped catalyst is ascribed to its higher content of surface V leading to a larger amount of total V species, the isolation site effect of NbO species on V, and its higher Lewis acidity.